Merge = Smooshes two branches together into one. It keeps all the commits from both branches and creates a new "merge commit" to combine them. Doesn't mess with

Merge = Smooshes two branches together into one. It keeps all the commits from both branches and creates a new "merge commit" to combine them. Doesn't mess with the commit history. Rebase = Takes all the commits from one branch and sticks them on top of another branch, like stacking them in front. It rewrites the commit history to make everything look like one straight line. I'm a rebase stan, but that's just my opinion.