Git

How do I Merge a Git Tag Onto a Branch?

In Git, tags and branches label and organize different codebase versions. They can be utilized together to manage the project’s development and release. Developers can make a branch to work on a new feature and then create a tag to mark the completion of that particular feature. Moreover, you can merge a tag onto the specific branch to ensure that the released code matches the tagged version.

This write-up will describe the method of merging a tag onto the specific Git branch.

How to Combine/Merge a Git Tag Onto a Git Branch?

To combine or merge a Git tag onto a particular branch, look at the below-provided steps:

  • Switch to the local directory.
  • List all tags and choose a desired tag.
  • Switch to the target branch.
  • Merge a selected tag with the target branch using the “git merge <tag-name>” command.
  • Ensure changes.

Step 1: Move to Local Git Repository

First, write out the following command and redirect to the local Git repository:

cd "C:\Git"

Step 2: View Local Tags

Then, list all the available tags of the local repository:

git tag

In the below screenshot all the local tags of the current repository can be seen. Choose the desired tag that needs to be merged with a specific branch. For instance, we have picked the “v9.0” tag:

Step 3: List All Branches

Next, display all the available branches of the current repository:

git branch

The below output indicates that the current repository has two branches, i.e., “feature” and “master” and the working branch is “master”:

Step 4: Redirect to Target Branch

Utilize the following command with the particular target branch name to switch to it:

git checkout feature

Here, “feature” is our target branch name:

Step 5: Merge Tag Onto Target Branch

Now, merge/combine the selected tag with the current working “feature” branch using the below-listed command:

git merge v9.0

Here, “v9.0” is our desired tag that we want to merge with the current branch.

After executing the above-stated command, the default editor will be opened. Write the desired commit message and close the editor:

Upon doing so, the tag will be merged with the current branch:

Step 6: Verify Changes

Lastly, ensure that the tag has been merged onto the branch or not by checking the Git log:

git log

It can be seen that the tag “v9.0” has been merged with the “feature” branch successfully:

We have explained the easiest way of merging a specific Git tag onto the particular branch.

Conclusion

To merge any tag onto the particular Git branch, first, switch to the local repository. Then, view available tags and choose the desired tag. Next, redirect to the target branch and type out the “git merge <tag-name>” command. Lastly, view Git log to ensure changes. This write-up described the method to merge a Git tag onto the specific Git branch.

About the author

Laiba Younas

I have done bachelors in Computer Science. Being passionate about learning new technologies, I am interested in exploring different programming languages and sharing my experience with the world.