Squash a git branch without rebasing

squash_branch.sh

#!/bin/sh

squash_branch() {
  # Usage: squash_branch [branch_name]
  # This is an implementation of Option 1 here: https://blog.oddbit.com/post/2019-06-17-avoid-rebase-hell-squashing-wi/
  # WARNING: This function will delete the target branch and replace it with a squashed version of itself

  BASE_BRANCH="master"

  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
    # Get the current branch name
    BRANCH_NAME=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
  else
    BRANCH_NAME="$1"
  fi

  if [ "$BRANCH_NAME" = "$BASE_BRANCH" ]; then
    echo "Error: The target branch is the same branch as the base branch. Please provide a different branch name."
    return 1
  fi

  TEMP_BRANCH="temp/squash/${BRANCH_NAME}"

  # Check out a new temporary branch based on the base branch
  git checkout -b "${TEMP_BRANCH}" "${BASE_BRANCH}" || return 1

  # Bring in the changes from the feature branch using git merge --squash
  git merge --squash "${BRANCH_NAME}" || {
    git checkout "${BRANCH_NAME}"
    git branch -D "${TEMP_BRANCH}"
    return 1
  }

  # Commit the changes with an appropriate commit message
  git commit --no-verify || return 1

  # Return to the feature branch and reset it to the squashed version
  git checkout "${BRANCH_NAME}" || return 1
  git reset --hard "${TEMP_BRANCH}" || return 1

  # Optionally clean up the temp branch
  git branch -D "${TEMP_BRANCH}"


  ## Additional optional steps:

  # Push the changes to the remote feature branch (with force)
  # git push -f
}