How to Fix “Resolve Your Current Index First” Error in JavaScript

You’re working on a JavaScript project, everything is going fine, and then boom Git throws this annoying message at you:

error: you need to resolve your current index first

At first glance, it feels like JavaScript is broken. But here’s the twist: this error is not actually about JavaScript. It’s about Git, the version control system you’re using to manage your JavaScript code.

Still, this error often appears right in the middle of JavaScript development, which makes it confusing and frustrating. In this article, I’ll show you what this error really means, why it happens, and exactly how to fix it, with clear explanations and real coding examples that fit a JavaScript workflow.

What “Resolve Your Current Index First” Really

When Git talks about the “index,” it means the staging area the place where changes wait before you commit them.

This error usually appears when:

You tried to merge branches
You pulled changes from a remote repository
You rebased your branch
And Git found conflicts that you haven’t fixed yet

So Git is basically saying:
“Hey, I can’t continue because your project has unfinished conflicts. Fix those first, then come back.”

JavaScript is not the problem here. Your JavaScript files just happen to be involved in the conflict

Why JavaScript Developers See This Error So Often

JavaScript projects change fast. Files like:

app.js
index.js
package.json
config files

are edited by multiple people. When Git tries to combine changes from different branches, it sometimes can’t decide which version is correct.

That’s when the “resolve your current index first” error shows up and politely refuses to move forward.

A Simple Example That Causes the Error

Imagine this situation.

You and your teammate both modify app.js.

Your version:

function greet() {
  console.log("Hello from main branch");
}

Your teammate’s version:

function greet() {
  console.log("Hello from feature branch");
}

Now you try to merge:

git merge feature-branch

Git gets confused. It doesn’t know which greeting is correct. So it stops and throws the error.

Check What’s Actually Broken

Before fixing anything, let Git show you the damage.

Run:

git status

You might see something like:

both modified: app.js

That means Git found a conflict inside app.js.

This step is important because it tells you exactly which files need attention.

Open the Conflicted JavaScript File

Now open the file Git complains about. You’ll see something like this inside:

function greet() {
<<<<<<< HEAD
  console.log("Hello from main branch");
=======
  console.log("Hello from feature branch");
>>>>>>> feature-branch
}

This looks scary, but it’s just Git showing both versions.

The part between <<<<<<< and ======= is your version.
The part between ======= and >>>>>>> is the other branch’s version.

Decide What the Correct Code Should Be

Now you become the judge.

Maybe you want to keep one version:

function greet() {
  console.log("Hello from main branch");
}

Or combine both:

function greet() {
  console.log("Hello from main branch");
  console.log("Hello from feature branch");
}

Or rewrite completely:

function greet() {
  console.log("Hello from both branches!");
}

The key is to remove all the Git markers and leave only valid JavaScript.

Mark the Conflict as Fix

Once the file looks clean and correct, tell Git that you fixed it:

git add app.js

Then complete the merge:

git commit

Now the error disappears, and Git is happy again.

A Complete JavaScript-Base Conflict Resolution Example

Let’s go through a more realistic case.

You have this file:

const express = require("express");
const app = express();

app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.send("Hello World");
});

app.listen(3000);

Your teammate adds logging, and you add a new route.

Conflict result:

const express = require("express");
const app = express();

<<<<<<< HEAD
app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.send("Hello World");
});
=======
console.log("Server starting...");

app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.send("Hello from server");
});
>>>>>>> feature-branch

app.listen(3000);

Resolved version:

const express = require("express");
const app = express();

console.log("Server starting...");

app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.send("Hello from server");
});

app.listen(3000);

Then:

git add server.js
git commit

Boom. Error fixed properly.

What If You Don’t Want to Keep the Merge

Sometimes, you realize you don’t want the merge at all. Maybe it was a mistake.

To cancel it safely:

git merge --abort

This takes your project back to how it was before the merge attempt.

This trick alone saves many developers from panic.

How to Avoid This Error in the Future

While you can’t avoid conflicts forever, you can reduce them a lot.

Commit small changes more often
Pull from remote branches regularly
Communicate with teammates about shared files
Avoid editing the same lines in big files

And one underrated tip:
Split large JavaScript files into smaller modules. Smaller files mean fewer conflicts.

Final Thoughts

The “Resolve Your Current Index First” error sounds scary, but it’s actually Git trying to protect your project from silent bugs. Once you understand that it’s just about unfinished conflicts, it becomes much easier to deal with. And now, you not only know how to fix it you also know how to prevent it and even use it as a chance to improve your code.