How to Fix 'git push rejected non-fast-forward' Error Safely

✨ Quick Answer

The error [rejected - non-fast-forward] or updates were rejected because the remote contains work that you do not have locally occurs when you attempt to push local commits to a remote branch in Git, but the remote repository contains newer commits that your local branch lacks.

The error [rejected - non-fast-forward] or updates were rejected because the remote contains work that you do not have locally occurs when you attempt to push local commits to a remote branch in Git, but the remote repository contains newer commits that your local branch lacks.

Quick Diagnostics

Cause

error: failed to push some refs ... [rejected - non-fast-forward]: The remote repository branch has commits that have not been integrated into your local working copy

Solution

Run git pull --rebase origin <branch> to apply remote changes before running git push

Step-by-Step Solution

1. 1

   Step 1: Fetch and Integrate Remote Updates with Rebase

   Instead of executing a standard merge that creates an unnecessary merge commit, use git pull --rebase to replay your new local commits on top of the updated remote history:

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   # Replace 'main' with your branch name (e.g., dev or feature/auth)
   git pull --rebase origin main
   

   If you prefer inspecting remote changes before rebasing:

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   git fetch origin
   git rebase origin/main
   

2. 2

   Step 2: Resolve Merge Conflicts If Prompted

   If files were modified concurrently in both local and remote commits, Git will pause the rebase process. Open the conflicting files, resolve the markers, and run:

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   # Stage resolved files
   git add .
   
   # Continue the rebase operation
   git rebase --continue
   

3. 3

   Step 3: Push Your Changes Safely

   Once your local branch is synchronized and cleanly rebased on top of the remote tip, push your commits:

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   git push origin main
   

   If you rebased existing local commits on a personal feature branch and need to update the remote, avoid destructive git push --force and use the safer option:

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   git push origin main --force-with-lease