# Merge conflict

Concept · [Technical basics](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/technical)

Also called: merge conflicts, git conflict, conflicting changes

What happens when two branches change the same lines of code in different ways, so [version control](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/version-control) cannot combine them on its own. A person has to choose which change to keep.

**For example:** Two [developers](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/software-engineer) both edited the pricing table. Merging the second [pull request](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/pull-request) stops with a merge conflict until one of them picks the right numbers.

## Connects to (4)

- [Branch](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/branch): A separate line of work inside a repository.
- [Pull request](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/pull-request): A request to merge the changes on one branch into the main code.
- [Git](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/git): The free, open source version control program that almost every software team uses.
- [Version control](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/version-control): A system that records every change to the code, who made it and when.

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/merge-conflict