What actually happens when you `git merge --no-ff`

Most developers use git merge without ever thinking about what's happening internally. Then one day they see --no-ff in a team's workflow documentation, Google it, read three Stack Overflow answers, and walk away with a vague sense that "it creates a merge commit or something." This post is the version I wish I'd read earlier. Two diagrams, one clear distinction, and why it actually matters for your team. The setup You're on main . Your coworker merged their feature. You branched off, added two