GIT-FMT-MERGE-MSG(1) Git Manual GIT-FMT-MERGE-MSG(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

git-fmt-merge-msg - Produce a merge commit message

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
git fmt-merge-msg [-m <message>] [--into-name <branch>] [--log[=<n>] | --no-log]
git fmt-merge-msg [-m <message>] [--log[=<n>] | --no-log] -F <file>
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Takes the list of merged objects on stdin and produces a suitable commit message to be used for the merge commit, usually to be passed as the *&lt;merge-message&gt;* argument of *git merge*.

This command is intended mostly for internal use by scripts automatically invoking *git merge*.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

--log\[=&lt;n&gt;]

In addition to branch names, populate the log message with one-line descriptions from the actual commits that are being merged. At most &lt;n&gt; commits from each merge parent will be used (20 if &lt;n&gt; is omitted). This overrides the **merge.log** configuration variable.

--no-log

Do not list one-line descriptions from the actual commits being merged.

--summary, --no-summary

Synonyms to --log and --no-log; these are deprecated and will be removed in the future.

-m &lt;message&gt;, --message &lt;message&gt;

Use &lt;message&gt; instead of the branch names for the first line of the log message. For use with **--log**.

--into-name &lt;branch&gt;

Prepare the merge message as if merging to the branch *&lt;branch&gt;*, instead of the name of the real branch to which the merge is made.

-F &lt;file&gt;, --file &lt;file&gt;

Take the list of merged objects from &lt;file&gt; instead of stdin.

# [CONFIGURATION](#CONFIGURATION)

**merge.branchdesc**

In addition to branch names, populate the log message with the branch description text associated with them. Defaults to false.

**merge.log**

In addition to branch names, populate the log message with at most the specified number of one-line descriptions from the actual commits that are being merged. Defaults to false, and true is a synonym for 20.

**merge.suppressDest**

By adding a glob that matches the names of integration branches to this multi-valued configuration variable, the default merge message computed for merges into these integration branches will omit "into *&lt;branch-name&gt;*" from its title.

An element with an empty value can be used to clear the list of globs accumulated from previous configuration entries. When there is no **merge.suppressDest** variable defined, the default value of **master** is used for backward compatibility.

merge.summary

Synonym to **merge.log**; this is deprecated and will be removed in the future.

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

```
$ git fetch origin master
$ git fmt-merge-msg --log <$GIT_DIR/FETCH_HEAD
```

Print a log message describing a merge of the "master" branch from the "origin" remote.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**git-merge**(1)](/man/os/git/git-merge.1)

# [GIT](#GIT)

Part of the [**git**(1)](/man/os/git/git.1) suite

2026-06-29 Git 2.55.0

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Document: git-fmt-merge-msg(1) from git 2.55.0-r9 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://kernel.googlesource.com/pub/scm/git/git.git