Error: "your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by merge:" - How to easily fix in Git

You might have run into the error "Your local changes to the following files will be overwritten by merge" which occurs due to the version control mechanism that Git has. The reason why this appears it simple -- you made local changes to some files that create a conflict in the changes you're trying to merge from another branch.

Your local changes to the following files will be overwritten by merge

Having identified the error, in order to resolve the error and proceed further with the merge, we'll present you with a few options:

1. Stash your local changes: In case you don't want to commit the local changes you made yet and want to temporarily set them aside, you can stash them using the following command:

git stash

Once you've finished stashing, you'l be able to perform the merge without any conflicts. And after the merge is complete, you can apply your stashed changes back using git stash apply or git stash pop.

2. Commit your local changes: In care you're ready and are certain you should permanently commit your local changes before merging, you can use the following commands:

git add <file1> <file2> ...   # Add the modified files to the staging area
git commit -m "Your commit message"

After the comit happened, you can merge the files.

3. Discard your local changes: In case you don't actually need your local changes and want to get rid of them entirely, you can use the following command:

git checkout -- <file1> <file2> ...   # Replace <file1>, <file2>, etc. with the actual file names

The above command replaces the local changes in the specified files with the versions from the branch you're merging.

Also, do remember to replace the names<file1>, <file2>, etc. with the actual file names that are causing the conflict. Additionally, ensure that you're on the correct branch where to perform the merge.

A note of caution

The act of stashing and discarding changes has to be used with caution, as you may lose any unsaved work. As a good practice, review your changes and ensure you don't accidentally get rid of important modifications.