What causes "File conflicted" in GitoxideLabs/gitoxide?

Inspect the conflicted output on stdout and resolve markers manually

GitoxideLabs/gitoxide · error · anyhow::Error

File conflicted

Error message

File conflicted

What it means

The file (blob) merge ended in a conflict: the requested `Resolution::Conflict` path was taken, the conflicted buffer is still written to stdout, and then the command bails with `File conflicted` to signal a non-zero exit. This is the intended way for the CLI to report a blob-level conflict.

Solutions

Inspect the conflicted output on stdout and resolve markers manually
Re-run with a resolution option that auto-picks a side if available
Use a different merge driver/strategy for the blob

Example fix

// before
$ gix merge file base ours theirs   # exit: File conflicted
// after: edit the emitted conflict markers, or choose a non-conflict resolution flag
$ gix merge file base ours theirs --resolution <ours|theirs>

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

// inspect the merge result before treating exit as fatal
let conflicted = output.contains("<<<<<<<");
if conflicted { eprintln!("blob merge produced conflict markers"); }

Try / catch

match result {
    Err(e) if e.to_string() == "File conflicted" => {
        // stdout already contains the conflicted buffer; route to manual resolution
        1
    }
    other => { other?; 0 }
}

Prevention

Treat non-zero exit plus stdout content as normal conflict flow, not a crash
Pick merge drivers that suit the content type
Check object sizes to avoid the related too-large failure path

When it happens

Trigger: Running `gix merge file` where the three-way content merge produces conflict markers and `resolution == Resolution::Conflict`; also reachable when buffers are too large (that case raises a different 'Participating object was too large' error).

Common situations: Merging versions of a file with overlapping edits; using the command as a custom merge driver in CI; reproducing `git merge-file` semantics with gitoxide.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of GitoxideLabs/gitoxide@e73179060b (2026-09-08). Data as JSON: /api/errors/c20dfd3918c08403. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at gitoxide-core/src/repository/merge/file.rs:87

            Conflict::ResolveWithUnion => None,
        };
    }
    let platform = cache.prepare_merge(&repo.objects, options)?;
    let labels = gix::merge::blob::builtin_driver::text::Labels {
        ancestor: Some(base.as_ref()),
        current: Some(ours.as_ref()),
        other: Some(theirs.as_ref()),
    };
    let mut buf = repo.empty_reusable_buffer();
    let (pick, resolution) = platform.merge(&mut buf, labels, &repo.command_context()?)?;
    let buf = platform
        .buffer_by_pick(pick)
        .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Participating object was too large"))?
        .unwrap_or(&buf);
    out.write_all(buf)?;

    if resolution == Resolution::Conflict {
        bail!("File conflicted")
    }
    Ok(())
}

fn worktree_roots(
    base: Option<gix::Id<'_>>,
    ours: Option<gix::Id<'_>>,
    theirs: Option<gix::Id<'_>>,
    workdir: Option<&Path>,
) -> anyhow::Result<gix::merge::blob::pipeline::WorktreeRoots> {
    let roots = if base.is_none() || ours.is_none() || theirs.is_none() {
        let workdir = workdir.context("A workdir is required if one of the bases are provided as path.")?;
        gix::merge::blob::pipeline::WorktreeRoots {
            current_root: ours.is_none().then(|| workdir.to_owned()),
            other_root: theirs.is_none().then(|| workdir.to_owned()),
            common_ancestor_root: base.is_none().then(|| workdir.to_owned()),
        }
    } else {

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