How to avoid adding deleted files in git merge?

@addison 

To avoid adding deleted files during a git merge, you can use the following strategies:

1. Use the git merge --no-commit option: When performing a merge, you can use the --no-commit option to prevent Git from automatically committing the changes. This allows you to review the changes before finalizing the merge.
2. Use the git merge --diff-filter option: You can use the --diff-filter option to specify the types of changes that should be included in the merge. For example, you can use --diff-filter=M to only include modified files in the merge, and exclude deleted files.
3. Resolve conflicts manually: If Git detects conflicts during the merge process, you can resolve them manually by choosing which changes to keep and which to discard. This allows you to avoid adding deleted files unintentionally.
4. Review changes before merging: Before performing a merge, it's a good practice to review the changes in both branches to ensure that you are not inadvertently adding deleted files. You can use git diff or git status to compare the differences between the branches.

By following these strategies, you can avoid adding deleted files during a git merge and ensure that only the necessary changes are included in the final merge commit.