diff --git a/.commit-check.yml b/.commit-check.yml
index 39d657c9..9b0c3199 100644
--- a/.commit-check.yml
+++ b/.commit-check.yml
@@ -27,3 +27,8 @@ checks:
     regex: Signed-off-by:.*[A-Za-z0-9]\s+<.+@.+>
     error: Signed-off-by not found in latest commit
     suggest: run command `git commit -m "conventional commit message" --signoff`
+
+  - check: merge_base
+    regex: main # it can be master, develop, devel etc based on your project.
+    error: Current branch is not up to date with target branch
+    suggest: please ensure your branch is rebased with the target branch
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 94f592d3..6e9ea54f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,12 +4,15 @@ __pycache__
 .mypy_cache
 .vscode
 venv
+.venv
 UNKNOWN.egg-info
 dist
 build
 tests/__pycache__
 .coverage
 coverage.xml
+.nox
+_build/
 
 # docs
 docs/_build
diff --git a/commit_check/__init__.py b/commit_check/__init__.py
index a88235cd..44d3c0d4 100644
--- a/commit_check/__init__.py
+++ b/commit_check/__init__.py
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@
             'error': 'Signed-off-by not found in latest commit',
             'suggest': 'run command `git commit -m "conventional commit message" --signoff`',
         },
+        {
+            'check': 'merge_base',
+            'regex': r'main', # it can be master, develop, devel etc based on your project.
+            'error': 'Current branch is not up to date with target branch',
+            'suggest': 'please ensure your branch is rebased with the target branch',
+        },
     ],
 }
 
diff --git a/commit_check/author.py b/commit_check/author.py
index 1ab3ba13..a68397e3 100644
--- a/commit_check/author.py
+++ b/commit_check/author.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Check git author name and email"""
 import re
 from commit_check import YELLOW, RESET_COLOR, PASS, FAIL
-from commit_check.util import get_commit_info, print_error_message, print_suggestion
+from commit_check.util import get_commit_info, print_error_header, print_error_message, print_suggestion
 
 
 def check_author(checks: list, check_type: str) -> int:
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ def check_author(checks: list, check_type: str) -> int:
             config_value = str(get_commit_info(format_str))
             result = re.match(check['regex'], config_value)
             if result is None:
+                if not print_error_header.has_been_called:
+                    print_error_header()
                 print_error_message(
                     check['check'], check['regex'],
                     check['error'], config_value,
diff --git a/commit_check/branch.py b/commit_check/branch.py
index b1ef5805..2e235986 100644
--- a/commit_check/branch.py
+++ b/commit_check/branch.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Check git branch naming convention."""
 import re
 from commit_check import YELLOW, RESET_COLOR, PASS, FAIL
-from commit_check.util import get_branch_name, print_error_message, print_suggestion
+from commit_check.util import get_branch_name, git_merge_base, print_error_header, print_error_message, print_suggestion
 
 
 def check_branch(checks: list) -> int:
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ def check_branch(checks: list) -> int:
             branch_name = get_branch_name()
             result = re.match(check['regex'], branch_name)
             if result is None:
+                if not print_error_header.has_been_called:
+                    print_error_header()
                 print_error_message(
                     check['check'], check['regex'],
                     check['error'], branch_name,
@@ -23,3 +25,31 @@ def check_branch(checks: list) -> int:
                     print_suggestion(check['suggest'])
                 return FAIL
     return PASS
+
+
+def check_merge_base(checks: list) -> int:
+    """Check if the current branch is based on the latest target branch.
+    params checks: List of check configurations containing merge_base rules
+
+    :returns PASS(0) if merge base check succeeds, FAIL(1) otherwise
+    """
+    for check in checks:
+        if check['check'] == 'merge_base':
+            if check['regex'] == "":
+                print(
+                    f"{YELLOW}Not found target branch for checking merge base. skip checking.{RESET_COLOR}",
+                )
+                return PASS
+            current_branch = get_branch_name()
+            result = git_merge_base(check['regex'], current_branch)
+            if result != 0:
+                if not print_error_header.has_been_called:
+                    print_error_header()
+                print_error_message(
+                    check['check'], check['regex'],
+                    check['error'], current_branch,
+                )
+                if check['suggest']:
+                    print_suggestion(check['suggest'])
+                return FAIL
+    return PASS
diff --git a/commit_check/commit.py b/commit_check/commit.py
index 30b4dfe5..5505e770 100644
--- a/commit_check/commit.py
+++ b/commit_check/commit.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import re
 from pathlib import PurePath
 from commit_check import YELLOW, RESET_COLOR, PASS, FAIL
-from commit_check.util import cmd_output, get_commit_info, print_error_message, print_suggestion
+from commit_check.util import cmd_output, get_commit_info, print_error_header, print_error_message, print_suggestion
 
 
 def get_default_commit_msg_file() -> str:
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ def check_commit_msg(checks: list, commit_msg_file: str = "") -> int:
         if check['check'] == 'message':
             result = re.match(check['regex'], commit_msg)
             if result is None:
+                if not print_error_header.has_been_called:
+                    print_error_header()
                 print_error_message(
                     check['check'], check['regex'],
                     check['error'], commit_msg,
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ def check_commit_signoff(checks: list, commit_msg_file: str = "") -> int:
             commit_hash = get_commit_info("H")
             result = re.search(check['regex'], commit_msg)
             if result is None:
+                if not print_error_header.has_been_called:
+                    print_error_header()
                 print_error_message(
                     check['check'], check['regex'],
                     check['error'], commit_hash,
diff --git a/commit_check/main.py b/commit_check/main.py
index 0a8a020b..3a2e6f3f 100644
--- a/commit_check/main.py
+++ b/commit_check/main.py
@@ -76,6 +76,14 @@ def get_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         required=False,
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-mb',
+        '--merge-base',
+        help='check common ancestors',
+        action="store_true",
+        required=False,
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument(
         '-d',
         '--dry-run',
@@ -108,6 +116,8 @@ def main() -> int:
             retval = branch.check_branch(checks)
         if args.commit_signoff:
             retval = commit.check_commit_signoff(checks)
+        if args.merge_base:
+            retval = branch.check_merge_base(checks)
 
     if args.dry_run:
         retval = PASS
diff --git a/commit_check/util.py b/commit_check/util.py
index ef8f89ae..a63d6c11 100644
--- a/commit_check/util.py
+++ b/commit_check/util.py
@@ -51,6 +51,23 @@ def get_commit_info(format_string: str, sha: str = "HEAD") -> str:
     return output
 
 
+def git_merge_base(target_branch: str, current_branch: str) -> int:
+    """Check ancestors for a given commit.
+    :param target_branch: target branch
+    :param current_branch: default is HEAD
+
+    :returns: 0 if ancestor exists, 1 if not, 128 if git command fails.
+    """
+    try:
+        commands = ['git', 'merge-base', '--is-ancestor', f'{target_branch}', f'{current_branch}']
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            commands, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, encoding='utf-8'
+        )
+        return result.returncode
+    except CalledProcessError:
+        return 128
+
+
 def cmd_output(commands: list) -> str:
     """Run command
     :param commands: list of commands
@@ -83,14 +100,18 @@ def validate_config(path_to_config: str) -> dict:
     return configuration
 
 
-def print_error_message(check_type: str, regex: str, error: str, reason: str):
-    """Print error message.
-    :param check_type:
-    :param regex:
-    :param error:
-    :param reason:
+def track_print_call(func):
+    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+        wrapper.has_been_called = True
+        return func(*args, **kwargs)
+    wrapper.has_been_called = False  # Initialize as False
+    return wrapper
 
-    :returns: Give error messages to user
+
+@track_print_call
+def print_error_header():
+    """Print error message.
+    :returns: Print error head to user
     """
     print("Commit rejected by Commit-Check.                                  ")
     print("                                                                  ")
@@ -105,10 +126,20 @@ def print_error_message(check_type: str, regex: str, error: str, reason: str):
     print("                                                                  ")
     print("Commit rejected.                                                  ")
     print("                                                                  ")
+
+
+def print_error_message(check_type: str, regex: str, error: str, reason: str):
+    """Print error message.
+    :param check_type:
+    :param regex:
+    :param error:
+    :param reason:
+
+    :returns: Give error messages to user
+    """
     print(f"Type {YELLOW}{check_type}{RESET_COLOR} check failed => {RED}{reason}{RESET_COLOR} ", end='',)
     print("")
     print(f"It doesn't match regex: {regex}")
-    print("")
     print(error)
 
 
diff --git a/noxfile.py b/noxfile.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..36001776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/noxfile.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import nox
+import glob
+
+nox.options.reuse_existing_virtualenvs = True
+nox.options.reuse_venv = True
+nox.options.sessions = ["lint"]
+
+REQUIREMENTS = {
+    "dev": "requirements-dev.txt",
+    "docs": "docs/requirements.txt",
+}
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Development Commands
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@nox.session()
+def lint(session):
+    session.install("pre-commit")
+    # only need pre-commit hook for local development
+    session.run("pre-commit", "install", "--hook-type", "pre-commit")
+    if session.posargs:
+        args = session.posargs + ["--all-files"]
+    else:
+        args = ["--all-files", "--show-diff-on-failure"]
+
+    session.run("pre-commit", "run", *args)
+
+
+@nox.session(name="test-hook")
+def test_hook(session):
+    session.install("-e", ".")
+    session.install("pre-commit")
+    session.run("pre-commit", "try-repo", ".")
+
+
+@nox.session()
+def build(session):
+    session.run("python3", "-m", "pip", "wheel", "--no-deps", "-w", "dist", ".")
+
+
+@nox.session(name="install-wheel", requires=["build"])
+def install_wheel(session):
+    whl_file = glob.glob("dist/*.whl")
+    session.install(str(whl_file[0]))
+
+
+# @nox.session(name="commit-check", requires=["install-wheel"])
+@nox.session(name="commit-check", requires=["install-wheel"])
+def commit_check(session):
+    session.run(
+        "commit-check",
+        "--message",
+        "--branch",
+        "--author-email",
+    )
+
+
+@nox.session(requires=["install-wheel"])
+def coverage(session):
+    session.run("coverage", "run", "--source", "commit_check", "-m", "pytest")
+    session.run("coverage", "report")
+    session.run("coverage", "xml")
+
+
+@nox.session()
+def docs(session):
+    session.install("-e", ".")
+    session.install("-r", REQUIREMENTS["docs"])
+    session.run("sphinx-build", "-E", "-W", "-b", "html", "docs", "_build/html")
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index 787fd29d..cb4cde73 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 coverage
+nox
 pre-commit
 pytest
 pytest-mock
diff --git a/tests/branch_test.py b/tests/branch_test.py
index 7093eca0..64ec3a4e 100644
--- a/tests/branch_test.py
+++ b/tests/branch_test.py
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 from commit_check import PASS, FAIL
-from commit_check.branch import check_branch
+from commit_check.branch import check_branch, check_merge_base
 
 # used by get_branch_name mock
 FAKE_BRANCH_NAME = "fake_branch_name"
-# The location of check_branch()
 LOCATION = "commit_check.branch"
 
 
-class TestBranch:
+class TestCheckBranch:
     def test_check_branch(self, mocker):
         # Must call get_branch_name, re.match at once.
         checks = [{
@@ -113,3 +112,38 @@ def test_check_branch_with_result_none(self, mocker):
         assert m_re_match.call_count == 1
         assert m_print_error_message.call_count == 1
         assert m_print_suggestion.call_count == 1
+
+
+class TestCheckMergeBase:
+    def test_check_merge_base_with_empty_checks(self, mocker):
+        checks = []
+        m_check_merge = mocker.patch(f"{LOCATION}.check_merge_base")
+        retval = check_merge_base(checks)
+        assert retval == PASS
+        assert m_check_merge.call_count == 0
+
+    def test_check_merge_base_with_different_check(self, mocker):
+        checks = [{
+            "check": "branch",
+            "regex": "main"
+        }]
+        m_check_merge = mocker.patch(f"{LOCATION}.check_merge_base")
+        retval = check_merge_base(checks)
+        assert retval == PASS
+        assert m_check_merge.call_count == 0
+
+    def test_check_merge_base_fail_with_messages(self, mocker, capfd):
+        checks = [{
+            "check": "merge_base",
+            "regex": "develop",
+            "error": "Current branch is not",
+            "suggest": "Please rebase"
+        }]
+        mocker.patch(f"{LOCATION}.check_merge_base", return_value=1)
+        m_print_error = mocker.patch(f"{LOCATION}.print_error_message")
+        m_print_suggest = mocker.patch(f"{LOCATION}.print_suggestion")
+
+        retval = check_merge_base(checks)
+        assert retval == FAIL
+        assert "Current branch is not" in m_print_error.call_args[0][2]
+        assert "Please rebase" in m_print_suggest.call_args[0][0]
diff --git a/tests/main_test.py b/tests/main_test.py
index 3fdc1849..9d26ebe2 100644
--- a/tests/main_test.py
+++ b/tests/main_test.py
@@ -7,18 +7,20 @@
 
 
 class TestMain:
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("argv, check_commit_call_count, check_branch_call_count, check_author_call_count, check_commit_signoff_call_count", [
-        ([CMD, "--message"], 1, 0, 0, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--branch"], 0, 1, 0, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--author-name"], 0, 0, 1, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--author-email"], 0, 0, 1, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--commit-signoff"], 0, 0, 0, 1),
-        ([CMD, "--message", "--author-email"], 1, 0, 1, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--branch", "--message"], 1, 1, 0, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--author-name", "--author-email"], 0, 0, 2, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--message", "--branch", "--author-email"], 1, 1, 1, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--branch", "--message", "--author-name", "--author-email"], 1, 1, 2, 0),
-        ([CMD, "--dry-run"], 0, 0, 0, 0),
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("argv, check_commit_call_count, check_branch_call_count, check_author_call_count, check_commit_signoff_call_count, check_merge_base_call_count", [
+        ([CMD, "--message"], 1, 0, 0, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--branch"], 0, 1, 0, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--author-name"], 0, 0, 1, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--author-email"], 0, 0, 1, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--commit-signoff"], 0, 0, 0, 1, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--merge-base"], 0, 0, 0, 0, 1),
+        ([CMD, "--message", "--author-email"], 1, 0, 1, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--branch", "--message"], 1, 1, 0, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--author-name", "--author-email"], 0, 0, 2, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--message", "--branch", "--author-email"], 1, 1, 1, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--branch", "--message", "--author-name", "--author-email"], 1, 1, 2, 0, 0),
+        ([CMD, "--message", "--branch", "--author-name", "--author-email", "--commit-signoff", "--merge-base"], 1, 1, 2, 1, 1),
+        ([CMD, "--dry-run"], 0, 0, 0, 0, 0),
     ])
     def test_main(
             self,
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ def test_main(
             check_branch_call_count,
             check_author_call_count,
             check_commit_signoff_call_count,
+            check_merge_base_call_count,
     ):
         mocker.patch(
             "commit_check.main.validate_config",
@@ -41,12 +44,14 @@ def test_main(
         m_check_branch = mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_branch")
         m_check_author = mocker.patch("commit_check.author.check_author")
         m_check_commit_signoff = mocker.patch("commit_check.commit.check_commit_signoff")
+        m_check_merge_base = mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_merge_base")
         sys.argv = argv
         main()
         assert m_check_commit.call_count == check_commit_call_count
         assert m_check_branch.call_count == check_branch_call_count
         assert m_check_author.call_count == check_author_call_count
         assert m_check_commit_signoff.call_count == check_commit_signoff_call_count
+        assert m_check_merge_base.call_count == check_merge_base_call_count
 
     def test_main_help(self, mocker, capfd):
         mocker.patch(
@@ -61,6 +66,7 @@ def test_main_help(self, mocker, capfd):
         m_check_branch = mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_branch")
         m_check_author = mocker.patch("commit_check.author.check_author")
         m_check_commit_signoff = mocker.patch("commit_check.commit.check_commit_signoff")
+        m_check_merge_base = mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_merge_base")
         sys.argv = ["commit-check", "--h"]
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
             main()
@@ -68,6 +74,7 @@ def test_main_help(self, mocker, capfd):
         assert m_check_branch.call_count == 0
         assert m_check_author.call_count == 0
         assert m_check_commit_signoff.call_count == 0
+        assert m_check_merge_base.call_count == 0
         stdout, _ = capfd.readouterr()
         assert "usage: " in stdout
 
@@ -84,6 +91,7 @@ def test_main_version(self, mocker):
         m_check_branch = mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_branch")
         m_check_author = mocker.patch("commit_check.author.check_author")
         m_check_commit_signoff = mocker.patch("commit_check.commit.check_commit_signoff")
+        m_check_merge_base = mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_merge_base")
         sys.argv = ["commit-check", "--v"]
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
             main()
@@ -91,6 +99,7 @@ def test_main_version(self, mocker):
         assert m_check_branch.call_count == 0
         assert m_check_author.call_count == 0
         assert m_check_commit_signoff.call_count == 0
+        assert m_check_merge_base.call_count == 0
 
     def test_main_validate_config_ret_none(self, mocker):
         mocker.patch(
@@ -101,6 +110,7 @@ def test_main_validate_config_ret_none(self, mocker):
         mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_branch")
         mocker.patch("commit_check.author.check_author")
         mocker.patch("commit_check.commit.check_commit_signoff")
+        mocker.patch("commit_check.branch.check_merge_base")
         sys.argv = ["commit-check", "--message"]
         main()
         assert m_check_commit.call_count == 1
diff --git a/tests/util_test.py b/tests/util_test.py
index 70ae5b7e..42870ea7 100644
--- a/tests/util_test.py
+++ b/tests/util_test.py
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 import pytest
+import subprocess
 from commit_check.util import get_branch_name
+from commit_check.util import git_merge_base
 from commit_check.util import get_commit_info
 from commit_check.util import cmd_output
 from commit_check.util import validate_config
+from commit_check.util import print_error_header
 from commit_check.util import print_error_message
 from commit_check.util import print_suggestion
 from subprocess import CalledProcessError, PIPE
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 
 class TestUtil:
@@ -42,6 +46,30 @@ def test_get_branch_name_with_exception(self, mocker):
             ]
             assert retval == ""
 
+    class TestGitMergeBase:
+        @pytest.mark.parametrize("returncode,expected", [
+            (0, 0),  # ancestor exists
+            (1, 1),  # no ancestor
+            (128, 128),  # error case
+        ])
+        def test_git_merge_base(self, mocker, returncode, expected):
+            mock_run = mocker.patch("subprocess.run")
+            if returncode == 128:
+                mock_run.side_effect = CalledProcessError(returncode, "git merge-base")
+            else:
+                mock_result = MagicMock()
+                mock_result.returncode = returncode
+                mock_run.return_value = mock_result
+
+            result = git_merge_base("main", "feature")
+
+            mock_run.assert_called_once_with(
+                ["git", "merge-base", "--is-ancestor", "main", "feature"],
+                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, encoding='utf-8'
+            )
+
+            assert result == expected
+
     class TestGetCommitInfo:
         @pytest.mark.parametrize("format_string", [
             ("s"),
@@ -170,6 +198,13 @@ def test_validate_config_file_not_found(self, mocker):
             assert retval == {}
 
     class TestPrintErrorMessage:
+        def test_print_error_header(self, capfd):
+            # Must print on stdout with given argument.
+            print_error_header()
+            stdout, _ = capfd.readouterr()
+            assert "Commit rejected by Commit-Check" in stdout
+            assert "Commit rejected." in stdout
+
         @pytest.mark.parametrize("check_type, type_failed_msg", [
             ("message", "check failed =>"),
             ("branch", "check failed =>"),
@@ -189,8 +224,6 @@ def test_print_error_message(self, capfd, check_type, type_failed_msg):
                 dummy_reason
             )
             stdout, _ = capfd.readouterr()
-            assert "Commit rejected by Commit-Check" in stdout
-            assert "Commit rejected." in stdout
             assert check_type in stdout
             assert type_failed_msg in stdout
             assert f"It doesn't match regex: {dummy_regex}" in stdout