Introduction

In modern software development, not every change in a branch needs to be merged in full. Sometimes, you just want to pick one specific commit. Apply it to another branch without pulling in all other changes. That’s where cherry-picking in Git comes in.

According to a 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, over 65% of teams rely on selective patching techniques like cherry-picking to speed up release cycles and avoid merge-related disruptions.

In this guide, we’ll explore what cherry-picking is, when to use it, and how to do it safely. 

Key Takeaways

• Use git cherry-pick <hash> to apply one specific commit to another branch without merging the whole branch.

• If you need a single, isolated change → cherry-pick. If you need a sequence or full history → merge or rebase.

• Use git status, fix files, git add, then git cherry-pick --continue. Abort cleanly with --abort if needed.

• Don’t pick the wrong hash, don’t cherry-pick merge commits, don’t duplicate the exact change across branches, and keep authorship intact.

What Does Cherry Pick Mean in Git?

In Git, cherry-picking means selecting a specific commit from one branch and applying it to another. Instead of merging all the changes from a branch, you pick just the “cherry”,  the commit you want, and bring it into your target branch.

For example, if a developer fixes a bug in the dev branch but that same fix is also needed in main, you can cherry-pick that exact commit without merging every other change from dev.

Here’s the basic command:

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

This command takes the changes from the selected commit and applies them to your current branch as a new commit. It’s a clean, efficient way to reuse or patch specific updates without cluttering your history with unrelated commits.

Cherry-picking might seem straightforward, but knowing when to use it is just as important as knowing how. Let’s explore the right scenarios where cherry-picking becomes truly useful.

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When Should You Cherry Pick a Commit?

Here are the most common scenarios where it’s useful:

1. Apply a Hotfix to Production

When a bug is fixed in the dev branch but needs to go live immediately, cherry-pick that commit to main or release.

git checkout main

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

2. Backport a Fix

If you maintain multiple versions of your product, cherry-picking lets you apply a bug fix or security patch from the latest release to older versions.

3. Forward-Port a Change

When a critical fix is made on a release branch during a freeze, cherry-pick it into main or future versions.

4. Reuse a Specific Feature or Improvement

Sometimes a teammate’s branch includes one slight improvement you need. Instead of merging their whole branch, you can cherry-pick just that one commit.

5. Recover Lost Work

If a branch was deleted or a commit was accidentally dropped, use cherry-pick with the commit hash from git reflog to restore it.

6. Apply Patches Across Multiple Repositories or Services

In monorepos or large systems, you can cherry-pick a single patch across multiple components without merging unrelated changes.

Understanding when to cherry-pick helps you clarify its purpose. Next, let’s walk through the exact steps to cherry-pick a commit from another branch safely.

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Step-by-Step on How to Cherry Pick a Commit 

Follow these steps to apply a specific commit from one branch to another.

1) Find the commit you want

# On the source branch (where the commit exists)

git checkout dev

git log --oneline

Copy the commit hash you want (e.g., a1b2c3d).

2) Switch to the target branch

git checkout main

This is where you want the change to be applied.

3) Cherry-pick the commit

# Basic cherry-pick

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

# Recommended: keep a trace to the original commit

git cherry-pick -x <commit-hash>

-x adds “(cherry picked from …)” to the new commit message for traceability.

4) Resolve conflicts (if any)

If Git reports conflicts:

git status                      # See conflicted files

# Edit files to resolve conflicts

git add <file1> <file2> ...     # Stage the resolved files

git cherry-pick --continue      # Finish the cherry-pick

Stuck or want to cancel?

git cherry-pick --abort

5) Verify the result

git log --oneline -n 5          # Check the new commit

git show                        # Inspect the changes

Run your test suite to ensure the change works on the target branch.

6) Push the change

git push origin main

If you rewrote history on the target branch (rare for cherry-pick), use:

git push --force-with-lease

Now that you’ve seen how to cherry-pick in practice, let’s look at some best practices that can make this process more reliable and consistent across your projects.

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Best Practices for Cherry Picking Commits

Here are some of the best practices for cherry picking commits - 

• Pick isolated changes only

Use cherry-pick for small, self-contained fixes or improvements. If the commit depends on many prior changes or refactors, prefer a merge or rebase.

• Verify the hash and scope

Double-check the commit hash with git log --oneline --decorate. Skim the diff to ensure you’re not pulling in unrelated files.

• Use -x for traceability

Run git cherry-pick -x <hash> to append “(cherry picked from …)” to the message. This preserves a clear audit trail across branches and releases.

• Add context to the message

Keep the original subject, then add the reason and links: issue ID, PR URL, incident ticket. 

For Example: fix(auth): handle null token (#1234) — backported to release/1.8

• Test on the target branch

Environments differ. Build and run tests after cherry-picking to catch missing deps, config drift, or feature flags.

• Resolve conflicts carefully

Use git status to review each conflict. Stage fixed files, then git cherry-pick --continue. If it’s going sideways, git cherry-pick --abort and reassess.

• Avoid cherry-picking merge commits

They often carry unrelated changes. If you must, understand parent order and consider -m <parent-number>, but prefer recreating the change as a fresh commit.

• Batch related patches when safe

Use a range for a tight sequence: git cherry-pick <A>^..<B>. Do not mix unrelated commits in one batch.

• Prevent duplicates

Coordinate in the PR or release channel so the same fix isn’t cherry-picked twice into parallel branches, which causes noisy histories.

• Keep authorship accurate

Git preserves the original author. Add co-authors when appropriate using Co-authored-by: lines.

• Mind semantic versioning

For release branches, cherry-pick only bug fixes and low-risk changes. Avoid feature work unless explicitly approved.

• Prefer safe pushes

If you had to rewrite history during cleanup, push with --force-with-lease to avoid overwriting teammates’ work.

• Record the backport

Note the target branches in the tracking issue or release notes to keep patch management visible.

• Have a rollback plan

If the cherry-pick is wrong or risky, revert with git revert <new-commit> or recover via git reflog.

• Automate checks where possible

Gate cherry-picked PRs with CI: build, tests, lint, and security scans. This shortens feedback loops and reduces manual review overhead.

Even experienced developers can make mistakes while cherry-picking. Before you apply it to critical branches, here are the most common pitfalls to watch for, and how to avoid them.

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Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Here are some of the common mistakes that one needs to keep in mind, and here is how to avoid them - 

1) Picking the wrong commit

• Problem: Similar messages or rebases make hashes easy to confuse.

• Avoid it: Verify with git log --oneline --decorate and git show <hash> before picking.

2) Cherry-picking commits with hidden dependencies

• Problem: The picked commit relies on earlier refactors or schema changes and breaks on the target branch.

• Avoid it: Skim git show <hash> for touched modules; check related commits and tests. If dependencies exist, merge or recreate the change instead.

3) Ignoring conflicts or resolving them hastily

• Problem: Manual merges drop lines or introduce bugs.

• Avoid it: Use git status to review each file, resolve carefully, git add the fixes, then git cherry-pick --continue. If messy, git cherry-pick --abort and reassess.

4) Forgetting to test on the target branch

• Problem: Code compiles on source branch but fails in target due to config or version drift.

• Avoid it: Build and run tests after picking; validate critical paths and migrations.

5) Losing traceability

• Problem: Hard to see where the change came from during audits or incident reviews.

• Avoid it: Use git cherry-pick -x <hash> and reference the original PR/issue in the commit message.

6) Cherry-picking merge commits

• Problem: Pulls in unrelated changes or wrong parent.

• Avoid it: Prefer the specific child commit(s). If you must, use git cherry-pick -m <parent-number> <merge-hash> and review the diff carefully.

7) Duplicating the same change across branches

• Problem: The commit is cherry-picked twice, causing noisy history and revert pain.

• Avoid it: Coordinate in release notes or a “backport” label; search history for the original hash or message before picking.

8) Overusing cherry-pick for feature flow

• Problem: Histories diverge and maintenance gets harder.

• Avoid it: Reserve cherry-pick for hotfixes and isolated patches. Use merge/rebase for broader work.

9) Altering authorship incorrectly

• Problem: Credits get lost or misattributed.

• Avoid it: Git preserves the original author; add Co-authored-by: lines if others contributed.

10) No rollback plan

• Problem: A bad pick lands in main with no quick recovery.

• Avoid it: Revert cleanly with git revert <new-commit>. If needed, recover previous states via git reflog.

11) Picking the wrong branch

• Problem: Changes land in main instead of release/*.

• Avoid it: Confirm with git status before running the command; consider branch protection rules.

12) Force-pushing unsafely after cleanup

• Problem: Overwrites teammates’ work.

• Avoid it: If you must rewrite, use git push --force-with-lease.

Avoiding these mistakes helps maintain a clean and conflict-free workflow. But in large, fast-moving teams, managing Git operations manually can still be time-consuming. This is where Entelligence.ai adds real value.

How Entelligence.ai Helps Teams Manage Git Workflows?

Managing Git workflows across multiple contributors, branches, and releases can be a coordination challenge. Teams spend valuable time resolving merge conflicts, maintaining commit hygiene, and tracking pull request status across projects. Without consistent enforcement of best practices, repositories can quickly become cluttered with redundant commits, incomplete documentation, and broken dependencies, slowing both delivery and collaboration.

Entelligence.ai simplifies Git management by embedding AI-powered intelligence directly into your workflow. It automates repetitive version control tasks, maintains clean and traceable commit histories, and ensures every change aligns with your team’s standards. With real-time insights and workflow governance, Entelligence.ai keeps your repositories healthy and your development pipeline flowing smoothly.

Here’s how Entelligence.ai supports better Git hygiene and workflow management:

• AI-Powered Code Review

Entelligence automatically reviews pull requests, highlighting redundant commits, potential conflicts, or risky changes. This ensures teams merge only meaningful, high-quality commits into main branches.

• Commit Clarity and Summarization

The platform generates natural-language summaries for pull requests and commits. This helps reviewers and managers quickly understand what changed and why. There is no need to read through dozens of diffs.

• Smart Merge and Rebase Assistance

Entelligence detects dependency conflicts and redundant commits during merges or rebases, suggesting fixes before they block progress. This keeps histories linear and clean.

• Branch Insights and Metrics

It tracks metrics like merge frequency, review turnaround time, and code churn, giving leaders visibility into how efficiently teams manage branches and releases.

• Automated Compliance and Workflow Enforcement

The system enforces consistent Git practices, from mandatory squash merges and co-author tracking to proper PR templates and review sign-offs. This ensures alignment across teams.

• Knowledge Continuity Across Repos

Entelligence links related commits, documentation, and review discussions. This means every change remains traceable across branches, versions, and releases.

With Entelligence.ai, Git workflows become transparent, predictable, and scalable. Teams spend less time managing branches and more time delivering reliable, high-quality code.

Conclusion

A clean, well-managed Git workflow is about creating clarity, accountability, and speed across your entire development process. Practices like cherry-picking, squashing, and rebasing help teams maintain focused, traceable codebases where every change has purpose and context.

With the right balance of process discipline and intelligent automation, your team can move faster without losing control of code quality or version history.

Ready to streamline your Git workflow and make every commit count? Try Entelligence.ai today and see how effortless version control can be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What does it mean to cherry-pick a commit in Git?

Cherry-picking in Git means applying a commit from one branch to another without merging the entire branch. It lets you selectively bring in changes, such as bug fixes or small updates, that are needed elsewhere.

Q2. When should I use cherry-pick instead of merge or rebase?

Use cherry-pick when you only need a single commit or a few commits from another branch. Merging or rebasing should be used when you want to bring in all related changes and maintain the full history.

Q3. Is cherry-picking safe for shared repositories?

Yes, but it must be used carefully. Always communicate with your team before cherry-picking on shared or production branches. This prevents duplicate changes, merge conflicts, and overwritten commits.

Q4. Can I cherry-pick multiple commits at once?

Yes. You can cherry-pick multiple commits by specifying a commit range, for example:

git cherry-pick A^..B

This applies all commits from A (exclusive) to B (inclusive) in order.

Q5. What happens if a cherry-pick causes conflicts?

Git will pause the cherry-pick and prompt you to resolve conflicts manually. Once resolved, run:

git add.

git cherry-pick --continue

If you want to stop the process, use git cherry-pick --abort.

Q6. Does cherry-picking preserve commit authorship?

Yes. The original author is preserved unless you modify the commit during cherry-pick. You can also add additional co-author lines if multiple contributors are involved.