How do you merge two Git repositories?

Question

Consider the following scenario:

I have developed a small experimental project A in its own Git repo. It has now matured, and I\'d like A to be part of larger projec

Answer 1

https://github.com/hraban/tomono as another mention of a script-based solution.

I am not the author but used it and it does the job.

One positive aspect is that you get all the branches and all the history into the final repo. For my repos (no duplicate folders in repos - actually, they came out of tfs2git migration) there were no conflicts and everything ran automated.

It is mainly used (see name) to create monorepos.

For Windows users: git bash can execute the .sh file. It comes with the standard git installation.

Answer 2

The submodule approach is good if you want to maintain the project separately. However, if you really want to merge both projects into the same repository, then you have a bit more work to do.

The first thing would be to use git filter-branch to rewrite the names of everything in the second repository to be in the subdirectory where you would like them to end up. So instead of foo.c, bar.html, you would have projb/foo.c and projb/bar.html.

Then, you should be able to do something like the following:

git remote add projb [wherever]
git pull projb

The git pull will do a git fetch followed by a git merge. There should be no conflicts, if the repository you're pulling to does not yet have a projb/ directory.

Further searching indicates that something similar was done to merge gitk into git. Junio C Hamano writes about it here: http://www.mail-archive.com/git@vger.kernel.org/msg03395.html

Answer 3

I have gathered a lot of information here on Stack OverFlow, etc., and have manage to put a script together which solves the problem for me.

The caveat is that it only takes into account the 'develop' branch of each repository and merges it into a separate directory in a completely new repository.

Tags and other branches are ignored - this might not be what you want.

The script even handles feature branches and tags - renaming them in the new project so you know where they came from.

#!/bin/bash
#
################################################################################
## Script to merge multiple git repositories into a new repository
## - The new repository will contain a folder for every merged repository
## - The script adds remotes for every project and then merges in every branch
##   and tag. These are renamed to have the origin project name as a prefix
##
## Usage: mergeGitRepositories.sh <new_project> <my_repo_urls.lst>
## - where <new_project> is the name of the new project to create
## - and <my_repo_urls.lst> is a file contaning the URLs to the respositories
##   which are to be merged on separate lines.
##
## Author: Robert von Burg
##            eitch@eitchnet.ch
##
## Version: 0.3.2
## Created: 2018-02-05
##
################################################################################
#

# disallow using undefined variables
shopt -s -o nounset

# Script variables
declare SCRIPT_NAME="${0##*/}"
declare SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd ${0%/*} ; pwd)"
declare ROOT_DIR="$PWD"
IFS=$'\n'

# Detect proper usage
if [ "$#" -ne "2" ] ; then
  echo -e "ERROR: Usage: $0 <new_project> <my_repo_urls.lst>"
  exit 1
fi


## Script variables
PROJECT_NAME="${1}"
PROJECT_PATH="${ROOT_DIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}"
TIMESTAMP="$(date +%s)"
LOG_FILE="${ROOT_DIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}_merge.${TIMESTAMP}.log"
REPO_FILE="${2}"
REPO_URL_FILE="${ROOT_DIR}/${REPO_FILE}"


# Script functions
function failed() {
  echo -e "ERROR: Merging of projects failed:"
  echo -e "ERROR: Merging of projects failed:" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  echo -e "$1"
  exit 1
}

function commit_merge() {
  current_branch="$(git symbolic-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null)"
  if [[ ! -f ".git/MERGE_HEAD" ]] ; then
    echo -e "INFO:   No commit required."
    echo -e "INFO:   No commit required." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  else
    echo -e "INFO:   Committing ${sub_project}..."
    echo -e "INFO:   Committing ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
    if ! git commit -m "[Project] Merged branch '$1' of ${sub_project}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then
      failed "Failed to commit merge of branch '$1' of ${sub_project} into ${current_branch}"
    fi
  fi
}


# Make sure the REPO_URL_FILE exists
if [ ! -e "${REPO_URL_FILE}" ] ; then
  echo -e "ERROR: Repo file ${REPO_URL_FILE} does not exist!"
  exit 1
fi


# Make sure the required directories don't exist
if [ -e "${PROJECT_PATH}" ] ; then
  echo -e "ERROR: Project ${PROJECT_NAME} already exists!"
  exit 1
fi


# create the new project
echo -e "INFO: Logging to ${LOG_FILE}"
echo -e "INFO: Creating new git repository ${PROJECT_NAME}..."
echo -e "INFO: Creating new git repository ${PROJECT_NAME}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
echo -e "===================================================="
echo -e "====================================================" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
cd ${ROOT_DIR}
mkdir ${PROJECT_NAME}
cd ${PROJECT_NAME}
git init
echo "Initial Commit" > initial_commit
# Since this is a new repository we need to have at least one commit
# thus were we create temporary file, but we delete it again.
# Deleting it guarantees we don't have conflicts later when merging
git add initial_commit
git commit --quiet -m "[Project] Initial Master Repo Commit"
git rm --quiet initial_commit
git commit --quiet -m "[Project] Initial Master Repo Commit"
echo


# Merge all projects into the branches of this project
echo -e "INFO: Merging projects into new repository..."
echo -e "INFO: Merging projects into new repository..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
echo -e "===================================================="
echo -e "====================================================" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
for url in $(cat ${REPO_URL_FILE}) ; do

  if [[ "${url:0:1}" == '#' ]] ; then
    continue
  fi

  # extract the name of this project
  export sub_project=${url##*/}
  sub_project=${sub_project%*.git}

  echo -e "INFO: Project ${sub_project}"
  echo -e "INFO: Project ${sub_project}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  echo -e "----------------------------------------------------"
  echo -e "----------------------------------------------------" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1

  # Fetch the project
  echo -e "INFO:   Fetching ${sub_project}..."
  echo -e "INFO:   Fetching ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  git remote add "${sub_project}" "${url}"
  if ! git fetch --tags --quiet ${sub_project} >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then
    failed "Failed to fetch project ${sub_project}"
  fi

  # add remote branches
  echo -e "INFO:   Creating local branches for ${sub_project}..."
  echo -e "INFO:   Creating local branches for ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  while read branch ; do
    branch_ref=$(echo $branch | tr " " "\t" | cut -f 1)
    branch_name=$(echo $branch | tr " " "\t" | cut -f 2 | cut -d / -f 3-)

    echo -e "INFO:   Creating branch ${branch_name}..."
    echo -e "INFO:   Creating branch ${branch_name}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1

    # create and checkout new merge branch off of master
    if ! git checkout -b "${sub_project}/${branch_name}" master >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then failed "Failed preparing ${branch_name}" ; fi
    if ! git reset --hard ; then failed "Failed preparing ${branch_name}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; fi
    if ! git clean -d --force ; then failed "Failed preparing ${branch_name}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; fi

    # Merge the project
    echo -e "INFO:   Merging ${sub_project}..."
    echo -e "INFO:   Merging ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
    if ! git merge --allow-unrelated-histories --no-commit "remotes/${sub_project}/${branch_name}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then
      failed "Failed to merge branch 'remotes/${sub_project}/${branch_name}' from ${sub_project}"
    fi

    # And now see if we need to commit (maybe there was a merge)
    commit_merge "${sub_project}/${branch_name}"

    # relocate projects files into own directory
    if [ "$(ls)" == "${sub_project}" ] ; then
      echo -e "WARN:   Not moving files in branch ${branch_name} of ${sub_project} as already only one root level."
      echo -e "WARN:   Not moving files in branch ${branch_name} of ${sub_project} as already only one root level." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
    else
      echo -e "INFO:   Moving files in branch ${branch_name} of ${sub_project} so we have a single directory..."
      echo -e "INFO:   Moving files in branch ${branch_name} of ${sub_project} so we have a single directory..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
      mkdir ${sub_project}
      for f in $(ls -a) ; do
        if  [[ "$f" == "${sub_project}" ]] ||
            [[ "$f" == "." ]] ||
            [[ "$f" == ".." ]] ; then
          continue
        fi
        git mv -k "$f" "${sub_project}/"
      done

      # commit the moving
      if ! git commit --quiet -m  "[Project] Move ${sub_project} files into sub directory" ; then
        failed "Failed to commit moving of ${sub_project} files into sub directory"
      fi
    fi
    echo
  done < <(git ls-remote --heads ${sub_project})


  # checkout master of sub probject
  if ! git checkout "${sub_project}/master" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then
    failed "sub_project ${sub_project} is missing master branch!"
  fi

  # copy remote tags
  echo -e "INFO:   Copying tags for ${sub_project}..."
  echo -e "INFO:   Copying tags for ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  while read tag ; do
    tag_ref=$(echo $tag | tr " " "\t" | cut -f 1)
    tag_name_unfixed=$(echo $tag | tr " " "\t" | cut -f 2 | cut -d / -f 3)

    # hack for broken tag names where they are like 1.2.0^{} instead of just 1.2.0
    tag_name="${tag_name_unfixed%%^*}"

    tag_new_name="${sub_project}/${tag_name}"
    echo -e "INFO:     Copying tag ${tag_name_unfixed} to ${tag_new_name} for ref ${tag_ref}..."
    echo -e "INFO:     Copying tag ${tag_name_unfixed} to ${tag_new_name} for ref ${tag_ref}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
    if ! git tag "${tag_new_name}" "${tag_ref}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then
      echo -e "WARN:     Could not copy tag ${tag_name_unfixed} to ${tag_new_name} for ref ${tag_ref}"
      echo -e "WARN:     Could not copy tag ${tag_name_unfixed} to ${tag_new_name} for ref ${tag_ref}" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
    fi
  done < <(git ls-remote --tags --refs ${sub_project})

  # Remove the remote to the old project
  echo -e "INFO:   Removing remote ${sub_project}..."
  echo -e "INFO:   Removing remote ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  git remote rm ${sub_project}

  echo
done


# Now merge all project master branches into new master
git checkout --quiet master
echo -e "INFO: Merging projects master branches into new repository..."
echo -e "INFO: Merging projects master branches into new repository..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
echo -e "===================================================="
echo -e "====================================================" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
for url in $(cat ${REPO_URL_FILE}) ; do

  if [[ ${url:0:1} == '#' ]] ; then
    continue
  fi

  # extract the name of this project
  export sub_project=${url##*/}
  sub_project=${sub_project%*.git}

  echo -e "INFO:   Merging ${sub_project}..."
  echo -e "INFO:   Merging ${sub_project}..." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
  if ! git merge --allow-unrelated-histories --no-commit "${sub_project}/master" >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1 ; then
    failed "Failed to merge branch ${sub_project}/master into master"
  fi

  # And now see if we need to commit (maybe there was a merge)
  commit_merge "${sub_project}/master"

  echo
done


# Done
cd ${ROOT_DIR}
echo -e "INFO: Done."
echo -e "INFO: Done." >>${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
echo

exit 0

You can also get it from http://paste.ubuntu.com/11732805

First create a file with the URL to each repository, e.g.:

git@github.com:eitchnet/ch.eitchnet.parent.git
git@github.com:eitchnet/ch.eitchnet.utils.git
git@github.com:eitchnet/ch.eitchnet.privilege.git

Then call the script giving a name of the project and the path to the script:

./mergeGitRepositories.sh eitchnet_test eitchnet.lst

The script itself has a lot of comments which should explain what it does.

Answer 4

To merge a A within B:

1) In the project A

git fast-export --all --date-order > /tmp/ProjectAExport

2) In the project B

git checkout -b projectA
git fast-import --force < /tmp/ProjectAExport

In this branch do all operations you need to do and commit them.

C) Then back to the master and a classical merge between the two branches:

git checkout master
git merge projectA

Answer 5

If both repositories have same kind of files (like two Rails repositories for different projects), you can fetch data of the secondary repository to your current repository:

git fetch git://repository.url/repo.git master:branch_name

and then merge it to current repository:

git merge --allow-unrelated-histories branch_name

If your Git version is smaller than 2.9, remove --allow-unrelated-histories.

After this, conflicts may occur. You can resolve them for example with git mergetool. kdiff3 can be used solely with keyboard, so 5 conflict file takes when reading the code just few minutes.

Remember to finish the merge:

git commit

Answer 6

This function will clone remote repo into local repo dir, after merging all commits will be saved, git log will be show the original commits and proper paths:

function git-add-repo
{
    repo="$1"
    dir="$(echo "$2" | sed 's/\/$//')"
    path="$(pwd)"

    tmp="$(mktemp -d)"
    remote="$(echo "$tmp" | sed 's/\///g'| sed 's/\./_/g')"

    git clone "$repo" "$tmp"
    cd "$tmp"

    git filter-branch --index-filter '
        git ls-files -s |
        sed "s,\t,&'"$dir"'/," |
        GIT_INDEX_FILE="$GIT_INDEX_FILE.new" git update-index --index-info &&
        mv "$GIT_INDEX_FILE.new" "$GIT_INDEX_FILE"
    ' HEAD

    cd "$path"
    git remote add -f "$remote" "file://$tmp/.git"
    git pull "$remote/master"
    git merge --allow-unrelated-histories -m "Merge repo $repo into master" --edit "$remote/master"
    git remote remove "$remote"
    rm -rf "$tmp"
}

How to use:

cd current/package
git-add-repo https://github.com/example/example dir/to/save

If make a little changes you can even move files/dirs of merged repo into different paths, for example:

repo="https://github.com/example/example"
path="$(pwd)"

tmp="$(mktemp -d)"
remote="$(echo "$tmp" | sed 's/\///g' | sed 's/\./_/g')"

git clone "$repo" "$tmp"
cd "$tmp"

GIT_ADD_STORED=""

function git-mv-store
{
    from="$(echo "$1" | sed 's/\./\\./')"
    to="$(echo "$2" | sed 's/\./\\./')"

    GIT_ADD_STORED+='s,\t'"$from"',\t'"$to"',;'
}

# NOTICE! This paths used for example! Use yours instead!
git-mv-store 'public/index.php' 'public/admin.php'
git-mv-store 'public/data' 'public/x/_data'
git-mv-store 'public/.htaccess' '.htaccess'
git-mv-store 'core/config' 'config/config'
git-mv-store 'core/defines.php' 'defines/defines.php'
git-mv-store 'README.md' 'doc/README.md'
git-mv-store '.gitignore' 'unneeded/.gitignore'

git filter-branch --index-filter '
    git ls-files -s |
    sed "'"$GIT_ADD_STORED"'" |
    GIT_INDEX_FILE="$GIT_INDEX_FILE.new" git update-index --index-info &&
    mv "$GIT_INDEX_FILE.new" "$GIT_INDEX_FILE"
' HEAD

GIT_ADD_STORED=""

cd "$path"
git remote add -f "$remote" "file://$tmp/.git"
git pull "$remote/master"
git merge --allow-unrelated-histories -m "Merge repo $repo into master" --edit "$remote/master"
git remote remove "$remote"
rm -rf "$tmp"

Notices
Paths replaces via sed, so make sure it moved in proper paths after merging.
The --allow-unrelated-histories parameter only exists since git >= 2.9.