Version control with Git offers developers multiple ways to integrate changes across branches, with merge and rebase standing as the two primary approaches. While both accomplish the same fundamental goal—incorporating changes from one branch into another—they do so through fundamentally different mechanisms, resulting in distinct commit histories and team workflows. Understanding when to use each strategy can significantly impact your project's history clarity, team collaboration, and conflict resolution process. In this deep dive, we'll explore how each option works under the hood, examine real-world usage patterns, and provide clear guidelines for choosing the right approach for your specific situation.