feat: merge tool polish and :Differ continue

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,6 +8,29 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 
 ### Added
 
+- `:Differ continue` finishes the merge, rebase, cherry-pick, revert or `am` in progress without leaving nvim: continue, edit the message in a buffer, skip or abort
+- The merge tool keeps or deletes a file changed on one side and deleted on the other
+- The merge tool resolves a binary conflict by taking ours or theirs
+- `gC` in the panel, diff view and merge tool opens the continue menu: skip or abort while conflicts are left, continue once they're resolved
+- The local panel names the operation in progress and how to continue it
+
+### Changed
+
+- The merge tool no longer jumps to the next file on save: `]f`/`[f` step between conflicted files and the winbar shows progress
+
+### Fixed
+
+- The merge tool reported a file staged when `git add` failed, and moved on
+- Inline diagnostic plugins showed LSP errors over the merge result's conflict markers
+- The merge tool stopped at a conflict it couldn't open instead of moving to the next one
+- The panel footer kept showing the old `HEAD` after a commit
+- A file reopened after the merge tool closed kept its empty winbar row, hidden sign column and scrollbind
+- A buffer-local keymap on the merged file was lost after the merge tool closed
+
+## [0.2.4] — 2026-10-10
+
+### Added
+
 - In the merge tool, `g?`, `]x` and `[x` also work from the ours, theirs and base panes
 
 ## [0.2.3] — 2026-10-09

README.md

@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ require("differ").setup({
     help = "g?",
     close = "dc",                -- end the session
     toggle_panel = "dd",         -- hide/show the file panel
+    commit = "gC",               -- commit, or continue the operation in progress
 
     -- diffs
     toggle_layout = "dl",        -- flip between stacked / split
@@ -287,7 +288,8 @@ The lifecycle verbs act on the active session's PR:
 |---|---|
 | `:Differ gofile` | Open the real file at the cursor's mapped line and end the session. The `de` key |
 | `:Differ edit` | Edit the real file in a transient split at the cursor's mapped line, keeping the session; `:w` re-sources the diff. The `df` key |
-| `:Differ mergetool [path]` | Open the merge tool on a conflicted file; no argument takes the current file, else the only conflicted one, else a picker |
+| `:Differ mergetool [path]` | Open the merge tool on a conflicted file; `]f`/`[f` step between conflicted files |
+| `:Differ continue` | Continue, skip or abort the merge, rebase, cherry-pick, revert or `am` in progress. Git runs in a floating terminal, and each commit message it asks for opens there, except the stopped commit's on a plain `continue` |
 | `:Differ sidecar` | Smoke-check the Go sidecar: start it, round-trip a handshake, and report the binary and protocol version |
 | `:Differ sidecar stop` | Stop the supervised sidecar; the next PR command starts a fresh one |
 | `:Differ cache clear` | Flush the sidecar's in-process caches (file blobs and PR review threads) |

RECIPES.md

@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ Every group is defined with `default = true`, so a `:highlight` of your own wins
 | Group | Applies to |
 |---|---|
 | `differPanelHeader` / `differPanelRoot` / `differPanelHelp` | panel chrome (link `Title` / `Directory` / `Comment`) |
+| `differPanelOperation` / `differPanelContinue` | the in-progress operation's `(merging)` verb and its `:Differ continue` line in the panel header (link `WarningMsg` / `Special`) |
 | `differPanelDir` / `differPanelContext` | a tree directory row, and the dimmed `·parent/` trailer in the name listing |
 | `differPanelAdd` / `differPanelModify` / `differPanelDelete` | the status glyph, by kind |
 | `differPanelRename` / `differPanelUnmerged` / `differPanelUntracked` | the status glyph, by kind |
@@ -129,3 +130,4 @@ Every group is defined with `default = true`, so a `:highlight` of your own wins
 | `differMergeConflict` | an unresolved block in the result |
 | `differMergeMarker` | a raw conflict marker left in the buffer |
 | `differMergeFlash` | the transient flash on lines a take-this produced |
+| `differMergeUnstaged` / `differMergeStaged` | the result winbar's index state: still to stage, or staged |

TROUBLESHOOTING.md

@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ The merge result buffer is the real worktree file, so a format-on-save would oth
 
 If a formatter reformats the markers anyway, differ notices on save, refuses to stage the file, and warns once that the flag isn't being honoured.
 
+## Signing prompts during `:Differ continue`
+
+`:Differ continue` runs git in a floating terminal and points `GPG_TTY` at it, so with `commit.gpgsign` on a terminal pinentry or an `ssh-keygen` passphrase prompt draws there. A key held by gpg-agent's SSH support is the exception: its prompt goes to the terminal the agent started in. A GUI pinentry (pinentry-mac) or a cached passphrase avoids the prompt entirely.
+
 ## render-markdown.nvim in the merge result
 
 The merge result disables in-buffer markdown rendering for the session so the conflict markers aren't concealed as block-quotes, restoring it on close.

doc/differ-recipes.txt

@@ -154,6 +154,11 @@ FILE PANEL                        *differ-recipes-highlight-groups-file-panel*
   differPanelHeader / differPanelRoot panel chrome (link Title /
   / differPanelHelp                   Directory / Comment)
 
+  differPanelOperation /              the in-progress operation’s
+  differPanelContinue                 (merging) verb and its
+                                      :Differ continue line in the panel
+                                      header (link WarningMsg / Special)
+
   differPanelDir / differPanelContext a tree directory row, and the
                                       dimmed ·parent/ trailer in the name
                                       listing
@@ -250,6 +255,9 @@ MERGE TOOL                        *differ-recipes-highlight-groups-merge-tool*
 
   differMergeFlash                    the transient flash on lines a
                                       take-this produced
+
+  differMergeUnstaged /               the result winbar’s index state:
+  differMergeStaged                   still to stage, or staged
   -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Generated by panvimdoc <https://github.com/kdheepak/panvimdoc>

doc/differ-troubleshooting.txt

@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ Table of Contents                   *differ-troubleshooting-table-of-contents*
 6. which-key popups over differ buffers|differ-troubleshooting-which-key-popups-over-differ-buffers|
 7. Statusline requires under lazy-loading|differ-troubleshooting-statusline-requires-under-lazy-loading|
 8. Format-on-save over conflict markers|differ-troubleshooting-format-on-save-over-conflict-markers|
-9. render-markdown.nvim in the merge result|differ-troubleshooting-render-markdown.nvim-in-the-merge-result|
+9. Signing prompts during :Differ continue|differ-troubleshooting-signing-prompts-during-:differ-continue|
+10. render-markdown.nvim in the merge result|differ-troubleshooting-render-markdown.nvim-in-the-merge-result|
 Working out what’s wrong, and the edge cases in how differ interacts with
 lazy-loading and other plugins. It lives here rather than in the README so that
 stays a reference rather than a FAQ.
@@ -142,7 +143,17 @@ stage the file, and warns once that the flag isn’t being honoured.
 
 
 ==============================================================================
-9. render-markdown.nvim in the merge result*differ-troubleshooting-render-markdown.nvim-in-the-merge-result*
+9. Signing prompts during :Differ continue*differ-troubleshooting-signing-prompts-during-:differ-continue*
+
+`:Differ continue` runs git in a floating terminal and points `GPG_TTY` at it,
+so with `commit.gpgsign` on a terminal pinentry or an `ssh-keygen` passphrase
+prompt draws there. A key held by gpg-agent’s SSH support is the exception:
+its prompt goes to the terminal the agent started in. A GUI pinentry
+(pinentry-mac) or a cached passphrase avoids the prompt entirely.
+
+
+==============================================================================
+10. render-markdown.nvim in the merge result*differ-troubleshooting-render-markdown.nvim-in-the-merge-result*
 
 The merge result disables in-buffer markdown rendering for the session so the
 conflict markers aren’t concealed as block-quotes, restoring it on close.

doc/differ.txt

@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ you’re in doubt, `:Differ sidecar` reports which one is actually running.
         help = "g?",
         close = "dc",                -- end the session
         toggle_panel = "dd",         -- hide/show the file panel
+        commit = "gC",               -- commit, or continue the operation in progress
 
         -- diffs
         toggle_layout = "dl",        -- flip between stacked / split
@@ -441,9 +442,16 @@ SESSION AND SIDECAR COMMANDS       *differ-usage-session-and-sidecar-commands*
                                       the diff. The df key
 
   :Differ mergetool [path]            Open the merge tool on a conflicted
-                                      file; no argument takes the current
-                                      file, else the only conflicted one,
-                                      else a picker
+                                      file; ]f/[f step between conflicted
+                                      files
+
+  :Differ continue                    Continue, skip or abort the merge,
+                                      rebase, cherry-pick, revert or am
+                                      in progress. Git runs in a floating
+                                      terminal, and each commit message
+                                      it asks for opens there, except the
+                                      stopped commit’s on a plain
+                                      continue
 
   :Differ sidecar                     Smoke-check the Go sidecar: start
                                       it, round-trip a handshake, and

lua/differ/command.lua

@@ -219,6 +219,12 @@ function M.mergetool(arg)
     require("differ.merge").open({ path = (arg ~= "" and arg) or nil })
 end
 
+-- :Differ continue: continue, skip or abort the in-progress merge, rebase, cherry-pick,
+-- revert or am, picked from a list
+function M.continue()
+    require("differ.merge.continue").pick()
+end
+
 -- :Differ log [arg]: file history. no arg or an arg naming a readable file →
 -- single-file history (that file, else the current buffer); `base` is the trunk
 -- shortcut → branch-range history of `<base>...HEAD`; any other arg is a rev-range.
@@ -311,6 +317,7 @@ local SUB = {
     edit = M.edit,
     log = M.log,
     mergetool = M.mergetool,
+    continue = M.continue,
     sidecar = M.sidecar,
     cache = M.cache,
 }
@@ -428,6 +435,11 @@ function M.complete(arglead, cmdline)
     if idx <= 2 then
         pool = vim.tbl_keys(SUB)
         pool[#pool + 1] = "base" -- the trunk diff shortcut isn't a SUB handler
+        if not require("differ.merge.continue").in_progress() then
+            pool = vim.tbl_filter(function(c)
+                return c ~= "continue"
+            end, pool)
+        end
     elseif idx == 3 then
         pool = VALUES[parts[2]] or {}
     elseif parts[2] == "pr" then

lua/differ/config.lua

@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ M.defaults = {
     keymaps = {
         next_hunk = "]c", -- diff, panel, history
         prev_hunk = "[c",
-        next_file = "]f", -- diff; panel/history step the selection
+        next_file = "]f", -- diff, merge; panel/history step the selection
         prev_file = "[f",
         first_file = "gg", -- panel/history: jump to the first/last file or commit
         last_file = "G",
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ M.defaults = {
         toggle_layout = "dl", -- diff: flip stacked / split
         toggle_local = "dw", -- diff/panel: a partly staged file's changes since staging, and back
         commit_preview = "ds", -- panel/diff: list only what a commit would take, HEAD↔index rows
+        commit = "gC", -- panel/diff/merge: commit, or continue the operation in progress
         -- merge tool, bound on the result buffer. nav + take-this resolution,
         -- the result buffer is the real worktree
         -- file and stays editable, so the whole choose family sits behind <leader>

lua/differ/git/conflict.lua

@@ -66,4 +66,24 @@ function M.parse(lines)
     return regions
 end
 
+-- a clean conflict marker sits at column 0; a format-on-save that ignores the buffer's
+-- disable_autoformat opt-out reflows the whole region and indents the markers with it. the
+-- parser then can't see the region (it matches at column 0), so it would read as resolved
+-- and stage a file that still has markers. an indented <<<<<<< / >>>>>>> run is the tell;
+-- `<`/`>` only, since a stray indented ======= can be decorative
+---@param lines string[]
+---@return boolean
+function M.reformatted(lines)
+    for _, line in ipairs(lines) do
+        local ch = line:match("^%s+([<>])")
+        if ch then
+            local run = line:match("^%s+(%" .. ch .. "+)")
+            if run and #run >= 7 then
+                return true
+            end
+        end
+    end
+    return false
+end
+
 return M

lua/differ/git/editor.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+-- the editor git gets in differ's terminal float: git/shim.lua, which asks this nvim to
+-- open the message in the float and waits until the buffer closes. git commits the file
+-- only when it was written: closing it unwritten, or emptying it, drops that commit
+
+local M = {}
+
+local SHIM = vim.fn.fnamemodify(debug.getinfo(1, "S").source:sub(2), ":p:h") .. "/shim.lua"
+
+-- the environment git runs with in terminal buffer `float`: the shim as its editor,
+-- pointed back at this nvim and that buffer
+---@param float integer
+---@return table<string, string>
+function M.env(float)
+    if vim.v.servername == "" then
+        vim.fn.serverstart()
+    end
+    local editor = table.concat({
+        vim.fn.shellescape(vim.v.progpath),
+        "--clean",
+        "-l",
+        vim.fn.shellescape(SHIM),
+    }, " ")
+    return { GIT_EDITOR = editor, NVIM = vim.v.servername, DIFFER_FLOAT = tostring(float) }
+end
+
+-- what starts a comment line in the repo holding git dir `dir`; "auto" is read as "#"
+---@param dir string
+---@return string
+local function comment_prefix(dir)
+    for _, key in ipairs({ "core.commentString", "core.commentChar" }) do
+        local value = require("differ.git.exec").git({ "config", "--get", key }, dir)
+        value = value and vim.trim(value)
+        if value and value ~= "" and value ~= "auto" then
+            return value
+        end
+    end
+    return "#"
+end
+
+-- whether `lines` hold nothing but blank and comment lines
+---@param lines string[]
+---@param prefix string
+---@return boolean
+local function emptied(lines, prefix)
+    for _, line in ipairs(lines) do
+        if line:match("%S") and not vim.startswith(line, prefix) then
+            return false
+        end
+    end
+    return true
+end
+
+-- the float's window, reopened when nothing shows the terminal
+---@param float integer
+---@return integer
+local function float_win(float)
+    require("differ.git.operation").show(float)
+    return vim.fn.bufwinid(float)
+end
+
+-- called by the shim over rpc: show `path` in place of terminal buffer `float` and tell
+-- channel `chan` once it closes, and whether it was written. returns at once, since the
+-- shim's request blocks until it does. closing it unwritten, or last written with nothing
+-- but comments, sets `differ_cancelled` on `float`
+---@param path string
+---@param chan integer
+---@param float integer
+function M.open(path, chan, float)
+    ---@param written boolean
+    local function closed(written)
+        local lua = ("_G.differ_written = %s; _G.differ_closed = true"):format(written)
+        pcall(vim.rpcnotify, chan, "nvim_exec_lua", lua, {})
+    end
+    -- the stopped commit's message, asked for before git moves past the stop
+    local accept = vim.b[float].differ_accept
+    vim.b[float].differ_accept = nil
+    if accept and accept.stop == require("differ.git.operation").stop(accept.root) then
+        return closed(true)
+    end
+    local existing = vim.fn.bufnr(path)
+    if existing ~= -1 then
+        if vim.bo[existing].modified then
+            require("differ.git.exec").notify(
+                "unsaved edits to " .. path .. " were discarded",
+                vim.log.levels.WARN
+            )
+        end
+        vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(existing, { force = true })
+    end
+    local buf = vim.fn.bufadd(path)
+    local win = float_win(float)
+    vim.b[float].differ_message = true
+    vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(win, buf)
+    require("differ.util.win").no_columns(win)
+    vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(win)
+    vim.cmd.stopinsert()
+    vim.bo[buf].bufhidden = "wipe"
+    vim.bo[buf].swapfile = false
+    require("differ.git.operation").title_float(win, float, "commit message")
+    local prefix = comment_prefix(vim.fn.fnamemodify(path, ":h"))
+    local written, empty = false, false
+    vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufWritePost", {
+        buffer = buf,
+        callback = function()
+            written = true
+            empty = emptied(vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(buf, 0, -1, false), prefix)
+        end,
+    })
+    vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufUnload", {
+        buffer = buf,
+        once = true,
+        callback = function()
+            vim.schedule(function()
+                if vim.api.nvim_buf_is_valid(float) then
+                    vim.b[float].differ_message = nil
+                    vim.b[float].differ_cancelled = not written or empty
+                    local back = float_win(float)
+                    require("differ.git.operation").title_float(back, float)
+                    vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(back, float)
+                    require("differ.util.win").no_columns(back)
+                    vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(back)
+                    vim.cmd.startinsert()
+                end
+                closed(written)
+            end)
+        end,
+    })
+end
+
+return M

lua/differ/git/index.lua

@@ -20,6 +20,25 @@ function M.unstage(root, path)
     return git_ok({ "reset", "-q", "HEAD", "--", path }, root, "unstage")
 end
 
+---@param root string
+---@param path string
+---@return boolean ok
+function M.remove(root, path)
+    return git_ok({ "rm", "-q", "--", path }, root, "delete")
+end
+
+-- resolve a conflict to one side's stage: check it out over the worktree file, then stage it
+---@param root string
+---@param path string
+---@param side "ours"|"theirs"
+---@return boolean ok
+function M.take_side(root, path, side)
+    if not git_ok({ "checkout", "--" .. side, "--", path }, root, "take " .. side) then
+        return false
+    end
+    return M.stage(root, path)
+end
+
 ---@param root string
 ---@return boolean ok
 function M.stage_all(root)