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---
stage: Create
group: Source Code
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
type: reference, concepts
---
# Fast-forward merge requests **(FREE)**
Sometimes, a workflow policy might mandate a clean commit history without
merge commits. In such cases, the fast-forward merge is the perfect candidate.
With fast-forward merge requests, you can retain a linear Git history and a way
to accept merge requests without creating merge commits.
When the fast-forward merge
([`--ff-only`](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-merge#git-merge---ff-only)) setting
is enabled, no merge commits are created and all merges are fast-forwarded,
which means that merging is only allowed if the branch can be fast-forwarded.
When a fast-forward merge is not possible, the user is given the option to rebase.
NOTE:
Projects using the fast-forward merge strategy can't filter merge requests
[by deployment date](../../search/index.md#filtering-merge-requests-by-environment-or-deployment-date),
because no merge commit is created.
## Enabling fast-forward merges
1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Projects** and find your project.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Merge requests**.
1. In the **Merge method** section, select **Fast-forward merge**.
1. Select **Save changes**.
Now, when you visit the merge request page, you can accept it
**only if a fast-forward merge is possible**.
If a fast-forward merge is not possible but a conflict free rebase is possible,
a rebase button is offered.
You can also rebase without running a CI/CD pipeline.
[Introduced in](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/118825) GitLab 14.7.
The rebase action is also available as a [quick action command: `/rebase`](../../../topics/git/git_rebase.md#rebase-from-the-gitlab-ui).
If the target branch is ahead of the source branch and a conflict free rebase is
not possible, you need to rebase the
source branch locally before you can do a fast-forward merge.
## Fast-forward merges prevent squashing commits
If your project has enabled fast-forward merges, to merge cleanly, the code in a
merge request cannot use [squashing during merge](squash_and_merge.md). Squashing
is available only when accepting a merge request. Rebasing may be required before
squashing, even though squashing can itself be considered equivalent to rebasing.
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