update-nanoclaw

To update a forked git repository without losing local modifications, run preflight checks for a clean working tree, create a backup branch, then selectively merge or cherry-pick upstream commits. This ensures local customizations are preserved during the sync.

The best way to cherry-pick upstream commits into a customized fork is to first preview diffs and dry-run conflict detection, then selectively apply only the desired commits. This targets specific changes while avoiding a full merge that could overwrite local work.

A dry-run conflict preview works by detecting likely merge conflicts before any changes are applied when syncing upstream branches. It analyzes the targeted commits against your local diff, allowing you to proactively identify and resolve collisions in affected files.

Yes, you can roll back a git merge if an upstream update breaks your build by using a pre-created backup branch and tag. The workflow preserves a restore point and prints explicit reset instructions to undo the update and restore the previous state.

Yes, syncing an upstream fork requires a clean working tree as part of its safety-first preflight checks. Verifying a clean state before discovering the upstream remote and branch prevents accidental data loss during the merge or cherry-pick process.

You need to validate with build and tests after resolving merge conflicts to ensure the integrated upstream changes do not break existing functionality. This validation step checks for breaking changes and confirms the fork remains stable before finalizing the update.