Is there a git merge dry run option?

As of my last update in January 2022, Git itself doesn't have a built-in option for a dry run of a merge operation. However, there are alternative methods you can use to simulate a merge without actually committing any changes:

Use git merge --no-commit: The --no-commit option prevents Git from automatically committing the merge. After running the merge command with this option, you can inspect the changes and decide whether to proceed with the merge or abort it.

  git merge --no-commit 

Create a Temporary Branch: Instead of merging directly into your current branch, create a temporary branch and perform the merge operation there. This allows you to review the merge result without affecting your main branch.

git checkout -b temp-merge 
git merge 

Use git merge --squash: The --squash option merges changes from the specified branch but doesn't create a merge commit. Instead, it applies the changes as a single commit on your current branch. This allows you to review the changes before committing them.

git merge --squash 

Create a Stash: Stash your current changes, perform the merge, and then apply the stash to restore your changes. This allows you to see the result of the merge without committing anything.

git stash
git merge 
git stash apply

Each of these methods provides a way to simulate a merge operation in Git without committing any changes immediately. Choose the method that best fits your workflow and preferences.