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Merging remote branches in git

I am developing a system where I'm following the trails of another project, adding my own stuff but not directly to the original project. I setup my repository with three remote branches:

  1. Master - Where my development takes place.
  2. Vendor - Where I sync with the original project periodically.
  3. Integration - Where I want to merge (Master) and (Vendor) together.

My workflow idea is for the synchronization to take place automatically (since it's basically a fast-forward of sorts), and the integration to be half-manual (since it requires merges and fixes). I've got the first part (the sync) covered, but I can't figure out what command/s to actually issue to integrate Master and Vendor into integration.

This is the output of git branch -a:

* integration
  master
  vendor
  remotes/origin/HEAD -> origin/master
  remotes/origin/integration
  remotes/origin/master
  remotes/origin/vendor

How do I go forward from this point to:

  1. Synchronize this workspace with the remote repository?
  2. Merge vendor & master into integration?
  3. Push integration back to the remote repository?

And obviously, if I have something wrong in the workflow I'd love to hear it.

Solution

  • While the integration branch is not strictly necessary (you could integrate directly vendor into master, by rebasing master on top of vendor), it can be useful.

    Integrating a branch A in a branch B can be done by:

    • merging A in B (but that means any current development you have in B is "on hold" pending the resolutions of any merge conflict, and the re-runs of all the tests)
    • rebasing B on top of A (git rebase A), but that would change B's history.

    I would rebase integration on top of Vendor, solving any conflict there, and then merge integration in master, keeping master history linear.