Git not-possible-to-fast-forward A fast-forward-only integration was refused because local and fetched histories diverged.

dev@local: ~/project — git

dev@local~/project$git pull --ff-only

error: not possible to fast forward

Diagnostics Translation

A fast-forward-only integration was refused because local and fetched histories diverged.

waiting for resolution...

MediumVersion Control System

Reviewed for reference consistency: August 11, 2026

Code is Safe

SECURE

Git has paused the operation to protect your code. No data has been lost or corrupted.

What To Know

This abort means the fast-forward-only contract was broken by real divergence; the branch was not updated, and integration now needs a merge or a rebase decision.

Where Did It Fail?

Working Tree

Your local files

add

Staging Index

Prepared changes

commit

Local Repo

Commit history

push/fetch

Remote Server

GitHub/GitLab

Git halted to protect the uncommitted files in your active working directory.

Commands That Trigger This

$git pull --ff-only

Running after committing locally while the remote also moved

A CI or deploy script configured with --ff-only hitting a branch that received a hotfix

$git merge --ff-only origin/main

Using to sync without creating merge commits

Technical Background

The abort is the option working as specified: --ff-only exists to keep integrations predictable in scripts, and its failure mode is a clean refusal rather than a surprise merge commit. The non-zero exit tells automation to stop.

The hint above the message proposes `git merge --no-ff` or `git rebase` as the two reconciliations, and `git config advice.diverging false` silences the hint for scripted environments. Neither suggestion is applied automatically — the branch stays exactly as it was.

Underlying Causes

Local commits exist that the remote branch does not have

The remote branch gained commits after the last fetch

A force-push upstream rewrote history so the histories no longer line up

pull.ff or pull.rebase configuration requested a fast-forward-only integration

Frequently Asked Questions

A clean tree says nothing about history shape; divergence is about commits, and --ff-only fails on any local commit the remote branch lacks.

No. That one rejects a push because the remote is ahead; this one refuses a local update because both sides moved and no pure pointer move exists.

Related Git States

merge-conflictMedium

Git paused the merge because it cannot automatically resolve overlapping changes.

non-fast-forwardMedium

Git rejected your push because your branch is behind the remote, preventing a linear update.

divergent-branchesMedium

Your local branch and the remote tracking branch have both received different commits.

your-branch-and-origin-have-divergedLow

Status reports both the local branch and its upstream holding separate new commits.