Stop presenting git rebase / git pull --rebase as a casual fix before any module introduces it #34

New Issue

2026-06-22T14:23:54-04:00

claude commented

2026-06-22 14:23:54 -04:00

Problem

Rebase is in no module's introduced-concepts list, yet it is used as a fix/choice: M8 offers git pull --rebase origin main as a first-push reconcile, M11 references rebasing as a merge strategy and a remedy for a moved main, and M26 Problem 4 says "rebase/merge the others on top." Learners are told to run/choose rebase with no model of what it does.

Evidence

modules/08-remotes-and-hosting/README.md failure mode #2 (~line 115): "reconcile once with git pull --rebase origin main and then push." modules/26-orchestrating-multiple-agents/README.md Problem 4 (~line 193): "then rebase/merge the others on top." modules/11-.../README.md (~lines 107, 402) mentions rebase. Rebase is never taught in any module.

Why it matters

Violates "never reference a tool before its introducing module," and the M8 line actually instructs a first-remote user to RUN an unexplained rebase that can drop them into a README conflict.

Proposed change

M8 already leads with the beginner-safe fix ("recreate the remote empty"); footnote --rebase as advanced and cross-reference Module 11. Do NOT replace --rebase with plain git pull here — that fails with "refusing to merge unrelated histories" against an auto-README remote, so a footnote (not removal) is correct.
M26: drop "rebase/" from Problem 4 (the lab uses only git merge).
M11: soften the rebase mentions so an untaught operation isn't presented as a choice (they are awareness-level; light wording).

Acceptance criteria

No module instructs RUNNING rebase as a plain step without a forward pointer/footnote.
M26 Problem 4 says "merge the others on top" (matches its lab).
M11's rebase mentions read as out-of-scope awareness, not a choice to make.

Affected files

modules/08-remotes-and-hosting/README.md, modules/26-orchestrating-multiple-agents/README.md, modules/11-collaboration-humans-and-agents/README.md

References

Source finding F14 (realVotes 3/3).

Filed from an adversarial multi-agent course review (217 raw findings → 54 adversarially-verified survivors). Scoped for manual review; intentionally not auto-assigned to an agent.

## Problem Rebase is in no module's introduced-concepts list, yet it is used as a fix/choice: M8 offers `git pull --rebase origin main` as a first-push reconcile, M11 references rebasing as a merge strategy and a remedy for a moved `main`, and M26 Problem 4 says "rebase/merge the others on top." Learners are told to run/choose rebase with no model of what it does. ## Evidence `modules/08-remotes-and-hosting/README.md` failure mode #2 (~line 115): "reconcile once with `git pull --rebase origin main` and then push." `modules/26-orchestrating-multiple-agents/README.md` Problem 4 (~line 193): "then rebase/merge the others on top." `modules/11-.../README.md` (~lines 107, 402) mentions rebase. Rebase is never taught in any module. ## Why it matters Violates "never reference a tool before its introducing module," and the M8 line actually instructs a first-remote user to RUN an unexplained rebase that can drop them into a README conflict. ## Proposed change 1. M8 already leads with the beginner-safe fix ("recreate the remote empty"); footnote `--rebase` as advanced and cross-reference Module 11. Do NOT replace `--rebase` with plain `git pull` here — that fails with "refusing to merge unrelated histories" against an auto-README remote, so a footnote (not removal) is correct. 2. M26: drop "rebase/" from Problem 4 (the lab uses only `git merge`). 3. M11: soften the rebase mentions so an untaught operation isn't presented as a choice (they are awareness-level; light wording). ## Acceptance criteria - [ ] No module instructs RUNNING rebase as a plain step without a forward pointer/footnote. - [ ] M26 Problem 4 says "merge the others on top" (matches its lab). - [ ] M11's rebase mentions read as out-of-scope awareness, not a choice to make. ## Affected files - `modules/08-remotes-and-hosting/README.md`, `modules/26-orchestrating-multiple-agents/README.md`, `modules/11-collaboration-humans-and-agents/README.md` ## References Source finding F14 (realVotes 3/3). --- *Filed from an adversarial multi-agent course review (217 raw findings → 54 adversarially-verified survivors). Scoped for manual review; intentionally not auto-assigned to an agent.*