Resolving Conflicts Inside Function Bodies

Function Body Conflicts

When two branches modify the implementation of the same function, the resulting conflict requires careful analysis. Unlike simple value changes, function body conflicts involve logic flow, variable dependencies, and side effects that must all work together.

Typical Scenario

function calculateTotal(items) {
<<<<<<< HEAD
  const subtotal = items.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item.price * item.qty, 0);
  const tax = subtotal * 0.08;
  const shipping = subtotal > 100 ? 0 : 9.99;
  return { subtotal, tax, shipping, total: subtotal + tax + shipping };
=======
  const subtotal = items.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item.price * item.quantity, 0);
  const discount = applyPromoCode(subtotal);
  const tax = (subtotal - discount) * 0.08;
  return { subtotal, discount, tax, total: subtotal - discount + tax };
>>>>>>> feature/promo-codes

Analysis Process

Before choosing a resolution, map out what each branch changed:

Aspect	HEAD (ours)	Incoming (theirs)
Property name	item.qty	item.quantity
Shipping logic	Added free shipping over $100	Not present
Promo codes	Not present	Added discount calculation
Tax base	On full subtotal	On discounted subtotal

Why Manual Edit Is Usually Required

Function body conflicts rarely lend themselves to Accept Ours, Accept Theirs, or Accept Both. Concatenating both versions would create duplicate variable declarations and two return statements. Instead, you need to understand both branches' intent and craft a unified implementation that includes both the shipping logic and the promo code discount.

Testing After Resolution

Always run the function's unit tests after resolving. If no tests exist, add them — a function that was modified by two branches simultaneously is clearly important enough to have test coverage.