Merge

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Example of a merge process that is carried out with the Meld tool (left: old file version; right: new file version).

Merge [ mɝːdʒ ] (from English to merge , ' to merge ', 'to unite', ' to merge ') is the process of reconciling several changes made to different versions of the same file . The merging of different file versions is a central process in most version management systems , which is why they usually support different merge algorithms. Many version control systems are also supplied with graphical utilities that the merging is to simplify.

The term “merge” is often used unchanged in software engineering as a verb merge (“You will merge the changes”), but also as a noun (“This merge will cause many conflicts”).

Basics

The merging of different databases ( replication ) is necessary if the corresponding database has been changed by different people or processes at the same time. This occurs when work is being carried out on a database at the same time or when the databases were managed in separate locations and brought back to a common status (synchronizing) .

The result of a merge process is a single database that combines all aspects of the different versions of the database. The synchronization of these databases is called merge replication and can be carried out with versions of the same rank or subordinate versions ( master / slave merge , for example accelerated backup strategies ). In many cases the merge process works automatically, without human interaction. However, if different changes are merged that affect the same subset of a data set, a merge conflict occurs . This can only be resolved manually.

Classic cases of merging are the merging of text files (string merging) or the merging of directory structures .

Standalone merge tools

Cross-platform

Linux

Windows

See also