Chapter 3: Branch, Merge, Rebase, Stash and Pull Requests

3.10 Cherry-pick one commit

By Ravindra Bagale · Last updated: 25 October 2026

Why: the problem

Sometimes you need one commit, not a whole branch. A security fix was made on main, but release/1.4 is already in production and must get only that fix, not all the new features. git cherry-pick copies one commit onto your current branch as a new commit with a new hash. It is the standard way to backport hotfixes at companies that support several versions, like a bank app with an old Android release. Overuse causes the same change to exist twice under different hashes, which confuses merges later. In this lesson you will backport a fix from main to release/1.4 in hello-shop, use -x to record where it came from, pick a range, handle a conflict, and know when to merge instead.

What we will build

You will create release/1.4, add features and a security fix on main, cherry-pick only the fix to the release branch with -x, try a range and a conflict, and verify the release has no feature commits.

What: every term in plain English

• Cherry-pick — Copy one commit onto the current branch.
• Backport — Bring a fix from a newer branch to an older release branch.
• -x — Add "(cherry picked from commit ...)" to the message.
• Range A..B — Commits after A up to B.
• --continue / --abort — After a conflict, finish or stop.
• Release branch — A branch for a version in production, like release/1.4.
• Duplicate change — Same diff in two commits with different hashes.
• -n / --no-commit — Apply changes without committing.

How: step by step

1. Release branch

   cd ~/devops-lab/hello-shop && git switch -q main && git switch -qc release/1.4 && git switch -q main
   

   What it does: Production line.

   Output

   (no output)
   

2. New feature on main

   echo "wishlist=on" > wishlist.txt && git add . && git commit -qm "Add wishlist"
   

   What it does: Must not go to 1.4.

   Output

   (no output)
   

3. Security fix on main

   echo "csrf=on" > security.txt && git add . && git commit -qm "Enable CSRF check"
   

   What it does: Must go to 1.4.

   Output

   (no output)
   

4. Find the hash

   git log --oneline -2
   

   What it does: Pick the right one.

   Output

   5a5a5a5 Enable CSRF check
   4b4b4b4 Add wishlist
   

5. Go to release

   git switch -q release/1.4
   

   What it does: Target branch.

   Output

   (no output)
   

6. Cherry-pick with -x

   git cherry-pick -x 5a5a5a5
   

   What it does: Copy only the fix.

   Output

   [release/1.4 6c6c6c6] Enable CSRF check
    1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
   

7. Check message

   git log -1 --format=%B
   

   What it does: Source is recorded.

   Output

   Enable CSRF check
   
   (cherry picked from commit 5a5a5a5...)
   

Example 1: Prove the release has the fix and not the feature

Stack. Git

Goal. Prove the release has the fix and not the feature.

verify.sh

ls security.txt wishlist.txt
git log --oneline release/1.4 -3
git cherry -v release/1.4 main

What each line does

• ls — security.txt exists; wishlist.txt does not.
• git cherry — + means not in release; - means an equal change is already there.

Green output

ls: cannot access 'wishlist.txt': No such file or directory
security.txt
6c6c6c6 Enable CSRF check
e1f2a3b Set price to 149
+ 4b4b4b4 Add wishlist
- 5a5a5a5 Enable CSRF check

Expected result. Only the fix went to production. git cherry confirms it.

Example 2: Pick a range of commits

Stack. Git

Goal. Pick a range of commits.

range.sh

git switch -q main
echo "a" > fix1.txt && git add . && git commit -qm "Fix 1"
echo "b" > fix2.txt && git add . && git commit -qm "Fix 2"
git switch -q release/1.4
git cherry-pick -x main~2..main
git log --oneline -3

What each line does

• A..B — Commits after A up to B. A is not included.
• main~2..main — The last two commits on main.

Green output

[release/1.4 7d7d7d7] Fix 1
[release/1.4 8e8e8e8] Fix 2
8e8e8e8 Fix 2
7d7d7d7 Fix 1
6c6c6c6 Enable CSRF check

Expected result. Several fixes in order, each with its source recorded.

Example 3: A conflict while cherry-picking

Stack. Git

Goal. A conflict while cherry-picking.

conflict.sh

git switch -q main && echo "price=199" > price.txt && git add . && git commit -qm "Price 199"
git switch -q release/1.4 && echo "price=149" > price.txt && git add . && git commit -qm "Price 149 for 1.4"
git cherry-pick main
git status -s
echo "price=149" > price.txt
git add price.txt
git cherry-pick --skip 2>/dev/null || git cherry-pick --abort
git log --oneline -1

What each line does

• Same file both sides — Conflict.
• Decide — The release must keep 149.
• --skip or --abort — Do not take this commit.

Green output

CONFLICT (add/add): Merge conflict in price.txt
error: could not apply 9f9f9f9... Price 199
AA price.txt
0a0a0a0 Price 149 for 1.4

Expected result. Not every commit should be backported. Skipping is a valid answer.

Example 4: Use GitLab to cherry-pick into a release

Stack. GitLab

Goal. Use GitLab to cherry-pick into a release.

gitlab.txt

1. Open the merged commit page on gitlab.com/ravi-learner/hello-shop.
2. Options -> Cherry-pick.
3. Pick into branch: release/1.4. Tick "Start a new merge request".
4. GitLab creates a branch cherry-pick-5a5a5a5 and an MR into release/1.4.
5. CI runs on the release MR. Merge after review.

cli

git switch -c backport/csrf-1.4 release/1.4
git cherry-pick -x 5a5a5a5
git push -u origin backport/csrf-1.4 -o merge_request.create -o merge_request.target=release/1.4

What each line does

• Backport MR — Even a backport gets review and CI.
• merge_request.target — Target the release branch, not main.

Green output

remote: View merge request for backport/csrf-1.4:
remote:   https://gitlab.com/ravi-learner/hello-shop/-/merge_requests/12

Expected result. Production fixes go through the same safe loop.

Example 5: Check if a fix already reached a release

Stack. Git

Goal. Check if a fix already reached a release.

contains.sh

git branch -a --contains 5a5a5a5
git log release/1.4 --grep "cherry picked from commit 5a5a5a5" --oneline

What each line does

• --contains — Exact commit present?
• --grep cherry picked — Finds the copy thanks to -x.

Green output

* main
6c6c6c6 Enable CSRF check

Expected result. With -x you can always trace a backport.

Example 6: Cherry-pick without committing to combine fixes

Stack. Git

Goal. Cherry-pick without committing to combine fixes.

no-commit.sh

git switch -q release/1.4
git cherry-pick -n main~1 main
git status -s
git commit -qm "Backport fixes 1 and 2 to 1.4"

What each line does

• -n — Apply changes only.
• One commit — Both fixes in one backport commit.

Green output

A  fix1.txt
A  fix2.txt

Expected result. Useful when a release branch wants one backport commit.

Verify: did it work?

1. Fix in release

   git log --oneline release/1.4 | grep -c CSRF
   

   What it does: One.

   Output

   1
   

2. No wishlist

   git ls-tree -r --name-only release/1.4 | grep -c wishlist
   

   What it does: Zero.

   Output

   0
   

3. No picking open

   git status | grep -c cherry
   

   What it does: Zero.

   Output

   0
   

When it is red 1

error: could not apply 9f9f9f9... Price 199

Cause. Conflict on pick.

Fix, step by step

1. Fix and git cherry-pick --continue, or --skip, or --abort.

When it is red 2

The previous cherry-pick is now empty, possibly due to conflict resolution.

Cause. The change is already there.

Fix, step by step

1. git cherry-pick --skip

When it is red 3

error: commit 4d4d4d4 is a merge but no -m option was given.

Cause. You picked a merge commit.

Fix, step by step

1. Pick the real commits, or use -m 1 carefully.

When it is red 4

fatal: bad revision 'abc123'

Cause. Wrong hash.

Fix, step by step

1. git log --oneline main to copy it again.

Cleanup

1. Back to main

   git switch -q main
   

   What it does: Leave release.

   Output

   (no output)
   

Practice tasks

Homework: try at home

Recap

• cherry-pick copies one commit.
• Use -x for traceability.
• Great for hotfix backports.
• Conflicts work like merges.
• Do not use it instead of merging branches.

FAQ

Will the same fix conflict later when I merge?

Usually Git sees it is the same change; sometimes you get a small conflict.

Can I cherry-pick from another remote?

Yes, after git fetch of that remote.

Can I edit the message?

Use -e.

What is -n?

Apply without committing, so you can combine.

Is it the same as patch?

Similar idea: git format-patch and git am do it via files.

Interview questions

1. What is cherry-pick?

   Applying the changes of an existing commit onto the current branch.

2. When do you use it?

   Backporting hotfixes to release branches.

3. Downside?

   Duplicate commits with different hashes; can confuse history.

4. How do you cherry-pick a range?

   git cherry-pick A..B or A^..B to include A.

5. How do you check if a fix is in a branch?

   git cherry -v or git branch --contains HASH.

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