title: Git: how to maintain permanent parallel branches
body: <p>We have project (PHP application), but instalation for each client vary, sometimes very little, sometimes more. Still, big part of source code is common. We manage specific installations as parallel branches to master branch and we need to transfer changes from master to other branches. Same situation was solved in <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2152841?tab=newest#tab-top">Git: how maintain (mostly) parallel branches with only a few difference?</a> The most voted solution was to transfer changes between braches this way:</p>
  
  <pre><code>git pull
  git checkout local
  git rebase master
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>As mentioned in the solution it creates non-fast-forward pushes after rebasing which I find very unpleasant complication. My QUESTION is - why not to do instead:</p>
  
  <pre><code>git pull
  git checkout local
  git merge master
  </code></pre>