The git log in the own branch can get quite messy sometimes. It’s a good idea to clean that up, before creating a Pull Request. The following workflow combines commits into a single one.

Don’t use this approach on a branch with many developers working on it!

1.) Make sure working directory is clean:

• Commit or stash any changed files.

2.) Identify the number of commits () to combine:

• git log --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit to list commits in short form:

a45e273 (HEAD -> <MYBRANCH>, <ORIGIN>) A commit message
e5bdaca Improved something
64a4cb1 Reverted
aeb755a Ups
c36e41a Everything better now
ae16a49 It should work now
[...]

• If I want to combine all commits including aeb755a Ups and newer I have to combine commits, so usually

3.) Rebase:

• git rebase -i HEAD~N with N being the number of commits () to combine.
• Replace the leading pick by a s (squash) for all commits instead the latest.

pick a45e273 A commit message
s Improved something
s 64a4cb1 Reverted
s aeb755a Ups

[...]

• Save and exit.
• A new editor opens, in which we can adjust the new commit message (a list of all old messages is proposed as default).
• Save and exit.

4.) Force push:

• git push -f to bring the changes to remote. It will rewrite git history, that’s why it should only be done on a branch where you are working alone.