Sometimes, Git can’t make your change to a remote repository without losing commits. When this happens, your push is refused.
If another person has pushed to the same branch as you, Git won’t be able to push your changes:
$ git push origin main
> To https://github.com/USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git
> ! [rejected] main -> main (non-fast-forward)
> error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git'
> To prevent you from losing history, non-fast-forward updates were rejected
> Merge the remote changes (e.g. 'git pull') before pushing again. See the
> 'Note about fast-forwards' section of 'git push --help' for details.You can fix this by fetching and merging the changes made on the remote branch with the changes that you have made locally:
$ git fetch origin
# Fetches updates made to an online repository
$ git merge origin YOUR_BRANCH_NAME
# Merges updates made online with your local workOr, you can simply use git pull to perform both commands at once:
$ git pull origin YOUR_BRANCH_NAME
# Grabs online updates and merges them with your local work 
When collaborating with other developers using Git, you might encounter the error: failed to push some refs to [remote repo] error.
This error mainly occurs when you attempt to push your local changes to GitHub while the local repository (repo) has not yet been updated with any changes made in the remote repo.
So Git is trying to tell you to update the local repo with the current changes in the remote before pushing your own changes. This is necessary so that you don’t override the changes made by others.
We’ll be discussing two possible ways of fixing this error in the sections that follow.
We can fix the error: failed to push some refs to [remote repo] error in Git using the git pull origin [branch] or git pull --rebase origin [branch] commands. In most cases, the latter fixes the error.
Let’s go over how you can use the commands above.
How to Fix error: failed to push some refs to Error in Git Using git pull
To send a pull request means to «fetch» new changes made to the remote repo and merge them with the local repo.
Once the merging is done, you can then push your own code changes to GitHub.
In our case, we’re trying to get rid of the error: failed to push some refs to [remote repo] error by sending a pull request.
Here’s how you can do that:
git pull origin mainIf you’re working with a different branch, then you’d have to replace main in the example above with the name of your branch.
Just keep in mind that there are chances of failure when using this command to sync your remote and local repos to get rid of the error. If the request succeeds, then go on and run the command below to push your own changes:
git push -u origin mainIf the error persists, you’ll get an error that says: fatal: refusing to merge unrelated histories. In that case, use the solution in the next section.
How to Fix error: failed to push some refs to Error in Git Using git pull --rebase
The git pull --rebase command is helpful in situations where your local branch is a commit behind the remote branch.
To fix the error, go on and run following commands:
git pull --rebase origin main
git push -u origin main If the first command above runs successfully, you should get a response that says: Successfully rebased and updated refs/heads/main.
The second command pushes your local repo’s current state to the remote branch.
Summary
In this article, we talked about the error: failed to push some refs to [remote repo] error.
This error occurs when you attempt to push your local changes to the remote repo without updating your local repo with new changes made to the remote repo.
We discussed two commands that you can use to fix the error: the git pull origin [branch] and git pull --rebase origin [branch] commands.
I hope this helps you fix the error.
Happy coding!
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What is ‘failed to push some refs to’ error
failed to push some refs to is a Git error that many developers frequently face. It occurs when a developer attempts to push committed code to an external git repository. The ability to push code stopped working suddenly, despite it working yesterday or the day before. It can be a source of frustration and annoyance for many.
failed to push some refs to errors are often caused when changes are not committed before pushing, issues with Git pre-push hook, incorrect branch name, or the local repository not being in sync with the Git repository. It occurs most of the time because multiple contributors are working on the same branch and the remote repository is further along than what you currently have on your local machine.
It is easy for git pushes to overlap when working in teams or for ref heads to be in different positions. This overlap can cause the repository to be out of sync, which is why the failed to push some refs to error are so frequent.
What causes ‘failed to push some refs to’ error
When multiple developers work on the same branch, it can cause a sequencing issue in Git. A commit gets rejected and causes a failed to push some refs to error because the remote branch contains code that you do not have locally. What this means is that your local git repository is not compatible with the remote origin.
Here is an abstraction of what incompatibility looks like in Git:
A -- B -- C -- D (on the remote) A -- B -- E (on your local machine)
Based on the above, your local machine is missing commits C and D. Meanwhile, you are trying to slot in your commit – E – between B and C on the remote.
Before Git lets you proceed, you will need to integrate the remote changes into your local repository. This step will fix any incompatibility issues and ensure that your version is up to date with the remote.
How can you fix ‘failed to push some refs to’ errors
Here are the scenarios that may cause the failed to push some refs error, and how to correct them:
1.Another developer pushed a commit to the same branch
The error in your terminal looks like this:
To [email protected]:sometest.git ! [rejected] your-branch -] your-branch (non-fast-forward)
When this occurs, the head sits at different positions on the same code timeline, and Git does not know how to handle it. This is because the origin repository is ahead of where you currently are. To fix this issue, run git pull on your local repository. This should allow you to push to origin again.
git pull origin [your-branch] git push origin [your-branch]
2. You got a ‘master (non-fast-forward)’ error with a ‘failed to push some refs to’ error
A git fast-forward happens when the ref pointer gets moved forward in the commit history. However, if your code diverges before it reaches the latest commit, it can cause the non-fast-forward issue and lead to a failed to push some refs to error.
To solve this issue, you can pull with the --rebase flag. --rebase will let you move your intended files to commit over to the latest pull code.
Here is how to pull with --rebase:
git pull --rebase origin [branch]
3. You got a ‘master (fetch first)’ error with a ‘failed to push some refs to’ error
When this occurs, someone has pushed to the branch before you. Git wants you to pull first before you can push your committed changes.
To prevent the loss of your work during the pull, you can stash your local changes.
The common suggested fix is to use --force flag to push through the local changes. However, it is good practice to avoid using the --force flag as it can cause inconsistency issues. Instead, use --rebase to move the ref heads and update your local repository without causing a divergence in the remote repository.
Using --force to try and fix the failed to push some refs to error will only result in more errors in the long run. This occurs because --force uses a brute force method that puts your current code and its ref head as the source of truth.
As a result, the changes in the remote can be overwritten by what you have pushed, removing any features or updates that other developers may have committed.
Only use --force if you are comfortable with features not on your local being overwritten with what you’ve currently got. Use the --force flag if you are confident that your local repository in its current state is correct.
How to prevent ‘failed to push some refs to’ errors
To prevent failed to push some refs to errors in Git, it is good practice to avoid having multiple developers work on the same branch simultaneously. Instead, use feature branches that merge into a master branch or something equivalent.
If you get a failed to push some refs to error, the main thing to do is git pull to bring your local repo up to date with the remote. Avoid employing the --force flag when using git pull and prevent other developers’ accidental overwrites of committed features.
Use the --rebase flag instead to avoid other errors from occurring while fixing your original failed to push some refs to error.
Kubernetes Troubleshooting with Komodor
We hope that the guide above helps you better understand the troubleshooting steps you need to fix the failed to push some refs to error.
Keep in mind that this is just one of many Git errors that can pop up in your K8s logs and cause the system to fail. Due to the complex and distributed nature of k8s,
the search for the root cause of each such failure can be stressful, disorienting, and time-consuming.
This is why we created Komodor, which acts as a single source of truth (SSOT) to streamline and shorten your k8s troubleshooting processes. Among other features, it offers:
- Change intelligence: Every issue is a result of a change. Within seconds we can help you understand exactly who did what and when.
- In-depth visibility: A complete activity timeline, showing all code and config changes, deployments, alerts, code diffs, pod logs, etc. All within one pane of glass with easy drill-down options.
- Insights into service dependencies: An easy way to understand cross-service changes and visualize their ripple effects across your entire system.
- Seamless notifications: Direct integration with your existing communication channels (e.g., Slack) so you’ll have all the information you need, when you need it.
When working with Git, facing errors isn’t really uncommon. We run into random bugs and glitches just because we missed a slash here or a comma there.
In this article, we’re taking a look at the “failed to push some refs to remote git” error, its causes and how you can fix the problem.
Also read: How to fix Gitignore not working issue?
Why does this error happen?
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause of the error “failed to push some refs to remote git” as it’s caused by several reasons, the most popular ones being:
- Incorrect change ID in the commit.
- Lack of text files.
- Incorrect branch name format.
- Out of sync local repository.
- Git pre-push hook issues.
- Not committing initial changes before pushing them.
How to solve this?
Here are a few solutions you can try to solve the error failed to push some refs to remote git.
Check the repository pair
First up, you should check if you’ve got an incorrect repository pair. This means that the name of your local repository should match that of the Git remote repository.
If your Git repository is incorrectly named, follow this guide to delete the local repository and make a new one with the correct name.
Pull first
Before you can push new changes to a remote repository, you need to run a pull operation first. Run the following commands one at a time and try pushing to the repository again.
git pull -rebase origin [branch name]
git push origin [branch name]Check branch names
Using incorrect branch names can also cause this error a lot of times. It’s not uncommon to make typos, so ensure you’ve got the branch’s name right, whether it’s a local or remote branch.
This can also be extended to whether or not a branch exists before you start pushing. Check to make sure you’ve got the name right, the directory isn’t empty and that the branch actually exists.
Check the working directory
Some platforms like GitHub and BitBucket don’t allow users to commit to an empty directory. If you’re using these platforms, make sure to add a file or two before you start pushing your code. This should resolve the error failed to push some refs to remote git.
Also read: GitHub vs Git vs GitLab vs Bitbucket
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You can contact him here: [email protected]
I can’t push my chnages file in master now, Maybe I messed up with configs or something.My git code like as given below.
git add .
git commit -m"my changes"
git push origin master
Answer
Option 1.
git pull --rebase origin main
git push origin main
With Git 2.6+ (Sept. 2015), after having done (once)
git config --global pull.rebase true
git config --global rebase.autoStash true
Option 2.
git reset --mixed origin/master
git add .
git commit -m "enter your commit message here"
git push origin master
Option 3.
Not commiting initial changes before pushing also causes the problem.
Create new project folder and do step by step like as given below.This will address your problems.
1.git init
2.git remote add origin https://gitlab.com/xxx/xxx
3.git add .
4.git commit -m "your commit message"
5.git pull --rebase origin master
6.git push origin master
Option 4.
The error message «Failed to push some refs to remote» usually indicates that there is a conflict between the local and remote versions of the repository. This happens when someone else has pushed changes to the remote repository that conflict with the local changes you are trying to push.
To resolve this issue, you will need to perform a git pull to retrieve the remote changes and merge them with your local changes. Here’s the general process:
- Make sure you are on the branch that you want to push your changes to.
- Run the command git pull to retrieve the latest changes from the remote repository. This will automatically merge any remote changes into your local branch.
- If there are any merge conflicts, you will need to resolve them manually by editing the conflicting files. Once you’ve resolved the conflicts, stage and commit the changes.
- Re-run git push
It’s important to note that git pull is actually a shorthand for two commands: git fetch followed by git merge. The git fetch command retrieves the latest changes from the remote repository but doesn’t merge them into your local branch.
The git merge command merges the remote changes into your local branch. If you prefer, you can run these commands separately.
It’s also worth noting that If you want to discard your local changes and replace them with the remote version, you can use the command git reset —hard origin/<branch_name>, this command will discard your local changes and reset your branch to the state of the remote branch. However, be careful when using this command as it will permanently delete any local changes that have not been pushed.
Option 5.
In addition to what I mentioned before, another common cause of this error is when you try to push to a non-fast-forward branch. A non-fast-forward branch is a branch that has commits that are not present in the remote branch.
You can resolve this issue by using the git push command with the --force or -f option, this will override the remote branch with your local commits. However, it’s important to be careful when using the --force option, as it can cause other people’s work to be overwritten.
Another way of resolving this is to use git pull --rebase before git push. This will replay your local commits on top of the remote commits and preserve the remote commits.
You can also use the command git merge --ff-only origin/<branch_name> to ensure that only fast-forward merge will happen.
It’s important to always coordinate with your team members before doing any force push, to avoid causing conflicts and overwriting other people’s work.
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Sundar Neupane
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You are here: Home / Solution / Git failed to push some refs
At some point when pushing your code to a remote server (e.g. GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab) you’re going to see an error like the following
To github.com:salcode/myrepo.git
! [rejected] master -> master (non-fast-forward)
error: failed to push some refs to 'git@github.com:salcode/myrepo.git'
hint: Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind
hint: its remote counterpart. Integrate the remote changes (e.g.
hint: 'git pull ...') before pushing again.
hint: See the 'Note about fast-forwards' in 'git push --help' for details.
The important part here is “Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind its remote counterpart.”
How did this happen?
Typically, someone else has pushed code to your remote server that you do not yet have.
What you wanted to happen
Imagine the commits for both your local master branch and the remote server origin/master branch look something like
master origin/master
cem32k cem32k
b4d2o1 b4d2o1
abc123 abc123
(If viewing your Git branch as a list of commits like this seems unfamiliar, I suggest checking out my post on How to Improve Git Log)
Once you’re comfortable with the commits above, you add a new commit (dg34mp) to your local (master) branch.
master origin/master
dg34mp
cem32k cem32k
b4d2o1 b4d2o1
abc123 abc123
Then you use
git push
and the remote server origin/master is brought up-to-date.
master origin/master
dg34mp dg34mp
cem32k cem32k
b4d2o1 b4d2o1
abc123 abc123
This is what we wanted to happen.
What really happened
While you were creating your new commit (dg34mp) on your local (master) branch, someone else added their own commit (zyx911) to the remote server
master origin/master
dg34mp zyx911
cem32k cem32k
b4d2o1 b4d2o1
abc123 abc123
Now when you use
git push
Git says, “Whoa, hold on! I can’t add the dg34mp commit because there is an extra commit on the remote server we haven’t taken into account!” (a.k.a. I don’t know how to handle zyx911, “failed to push some refs”).
What do we do?
First, we make a backup copy of our master branch, in case something goes wrong. (This isn’t strictly necessary because of git reflog, but I find making a backup branch quicker and involving less thought). Once we make this backup branch we’re going to ignore it and ultimately when we’re done with this process we can delete it.
git branch bkup
Now, we rebase our master branch with the remote branch origin/master.
git rebase origin/master
This replaces our local master branch with the remote origin/master and then adds our new commit (dg34mp) on top.
master origin/master
dg34mp
zyx911 zyx911
cem32k cem32k
b4d2o1 b4d2o1
abc123 abc123
Now we can push our changes to the remote server (origin/master)
git push
and there is no problem because we are simply adding our new commit (dg34mp) to the remote branch.
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