rebasing vs merging

Question

What is the difference between rebasing and merging? Where do i use rebasing and where merge?

Answer 1

Merging and rebasing are written for the same purpose of incorporating the various changes in your project. The only difference is, reabasing and merging use very different methods to achieve this. 

Let me explain the working with an example, suppose you're working on a particular branch and you've made a few new commits and you're friend is working on the master and he's also made a few new commits. You realize that the new changes he's made might be useful in your branch and now you're confused weather to use rebasing or merging.

If you choose to use the merge option, It creates a new "merge commit" which holds the history commits of both the branches(the branch you were working on and the branch your friend was working on-master). 

If you choosee the rebase option, it moves the entire branch that you've been working onto the master. In simpler terms Moving the base of the branch on different location.