diff --git a/backend/examples/README.md b/backend/examples/README.md
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+# WizardMerge API Examples
+
+This directory contains example clients for the WizardMerge HTTP API.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Make sure the WizardMerge HTTP server is running:
+
+```sh
+cd ..
+./build.sh
+cd build
+./wizardmerge-cli
+```
+
+The server should be running on http://localhost:8080
+
+## Examples
+
+### Python Client (`api_client.py`)
+
+Demonstrates API usage with the requests library.
+
+**Requirements:**
+```sh
+pip install requests
+```
+
+**Run:**
+```sh
+./api_client.py
+```
+
+### Curl Examples (`test_api.sh`)
+
+Shell script with curl commands for testing the API.
+
+**Requirements:**
+- curl
+- jq (optional, for pretty JSON output)
+
+**Run:**
+```sh
+./test_api.sh
+```
+
+## API Endpoint
+
+### POST /api/merge
+
+Performs a three-way merge operation.
+
+**Request Body:**
+```json
+{
+  "base": ["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+  "ours": ["line1", "line2_modified", "line3"],
+  "theirs": ["line1", "line2", "line3_modified"]
+}
+```
+
+**Response (Success):**
+```json
+{
+  "merged": ["line1", "line2_modified", "line3_modified"],
+  "conflicts": [],
+  "has_conflicts": false
+}
+```
+
+**Response (With Conflicts):**
+```json
+{
+  "merged": [
+    "line1",
+    "<<<<<<< OURS",
+    "line2_ours",
+    "=======",
+    "line2_theirs",
+    ">>>>>>> THEIRS",
+    "line3"
+  ],
+  "conflicts": [
+    {
+      "start_line": 1,
+      "end_line": 1,
+      "base_lines": ["line2"],
+      "our_lines": ["line2_ours"],
+      "their_lines": ["line2_theirs"]
+    }
+  ],
+  "has_conflicts": true
+}
+```
+
+**Error Response (400 Bad Request):**
+```json
+{
+  "error": "Missing required fields: base, ours, theirs"
+}
+```
+
+## Manual Testing with curl
+
+Basic example:
+```sh
+curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/merge \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{
+    "base": ["hello", "world"],
+    "ours": ["hello", "beautiful world"],
+    "theirs": ["goodbye", "world"]
+  }'
+```
+
+## Integration Examples
+
+### JavaScript/Node.js
+
+```javascript
+const axios = require('axios');
+
+async function merge(base, ours, theirs) {
+  const response = await axios.post('http://localhost:8080/api/merge', {
+    base, ours, theirs
+  });
+  return response.data;
+}
+
+// Usage
+merge(
+  ['line1', 'line2'],
+  ['line1', 'line2_modified'],
+  ['line1', 'line2']
+).then(result => {
+  console.log('Merged:', result.merged);
+  console.log('Has conflicts:', result.has_conflicts);
+});
+```
+
+### Python
+
+```python
+import requests
+
+def merge(base, ours, theirs, server_url="http://localhost:8080"):
+    response = requests.post(
+        f"{server_url}/api/merge",
+        json={"base": base, "ours": ours, "theirs": theirs}
+    )
+    return response.json()
+
+# Usage
+result = merge(
+    base=["line1", "line2"],
+    ours=["line1", "line2_modified"],
+    theirs=["line1", "line2"]
+)
+print(f"Merged: {result['merged']}")
+print(f"Has conflicts: {result['has_conflicts']}")
+```
+
+### Go
+
+```go
+package main
+
+import (
+    "bytes"
+    "encoding/json"
+    "net/http"
+)
+
+type MergeRequest struct {
+    Base   []string `json:"base"`
+    Ours   []string `json:"ours"`
+    Theirs []string `json:"theirs"`
+}
+
+type MergeResponse struct {
+    Merged       []string    `json:"merged"`
+    Conflicts    []Conflict  `json:"conflicts"`
+    HasConflicts bool        `json:"has_conflicts"`
+}
+
+func merge(base, ours, theirs []string) (*MergeResponse, error) {
+    req := MergeRequest{Base: base, Ours: ours, Theirs: theirs}
+    jsonData, _ := json.Marshal(req)
+    
+    resp, err := http.Post(
+        "http://localhost:8080/api/merge",
+        "application/json",
+        bytes.NewBuffer(jsonData),
+    )
+    if err != nil {
+        return nil, err
+    }
+    defer resp.Body.Close()
+    
+    var result MergeResponse
+    json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&result)
+    return &result, nil
+}
+```
+
+## Docker Usage
+
+If running the server in Docker:
+
+```sh
+# Start server
+docker-compose up -d
+
+# Test API (from host)
+curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/merge \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{"base":["a"],"ours":["b"],"theirs":["c"]}'
+
+# Check logs
+docker-compose logs -f
+```
diff --git a/backend/examples/api_client.py b/backend/examples/api_client.py
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+++ b/backend/examples/api_client.py
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+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Example client for WizardMerge HTTP API
+Demonstrates how to use the POST /api/merge endpoint
+"""
+
+import requests
+import json
+import sys
+
+def test_merge(base_lines, ours_lines, theirs_lines, server_url="http://localhost:8080"):
+    """
+    Test the merge API with given inputs
+    """
+    endpoint = f"{server_url}/api/merge"
+    
+    payload = {
+        "base": base_lines,
+        "ours": ours_lines,
+        "theirs": theirs_lines
+    }
+    
+    print(f"Sending merge request to {endpoint}")
+    print(f"Base:   {base_lines}")
+    print(f"Ours:   {ours_lines}")
+    print(f"Theirs: {theirs_lines}")
+    print()
+    
+    try:
+        response = requests.post(endpoint, json=payload)
+        response.raise_for_status()
+        
+        result = response.json()
+        
+        print("=== Merge Result ===")
+        print(f"Merged lines: {result['merged']}")
+        print(f"Has conflicts: {result['has_conflicts']}")
+        
+        if result['conflicts']:
+            print(f"Number of conflicts: {len(result['conflicts'])}")
+            for i, conflict in enumerate(result['conflicts']):
+                print(f"\nConflict {i+1}:")
+                print(f"  Lines: {conflict['start_line']}-{conflict['end_line']}")
+                print(f"  Base: {conflict['base_lines']}")
+                print(f"  Ours: {conflict['our_lines']}")
+                print(f"  Theirs: {conflict['their_lines']}")
+        
+        return result
+        
+    except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
+        print(f"ERROR: Could not connect to server at {server_url}")
+        print("Make sure the server is running with: ./wizardmerge-cli")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: HTTP {e.response.status_code}")
+        print(e.response.text)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: {e}")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+def main():
+    print("WizardMerge API Client - Example Usage")
+    print("=" * 50)
+    print()
+    
+    # Test 1: No conflicts
+    print("Test 1: No conflicts (non-overlapping changes)")
+    print("-" * 50)
+    test_merge(
+        base_lines=["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+        ours_lines=["line1", "line2_modified", "line3"],
+        theirs_lines=["line1", "line2", "line3_modified"]
+    )
+    print()
+    
+    # Test 2: With conflicts
+    print("\nTest 2: With conflicts (overlapping changes)")
+    print("-" * 50)
+    test_merge(
+        base_lines=["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+        ours_lines=["line1", "line2_ours", "line3"],
+        theirs_lines=["line1", "line2_theirs", "line3"]
+    )
+    print()
+    
+    # Test 3: Identical changes
+    print("\nTest 3: Identical changes (auto-resolved)")
+    print("-" * 50)
+    test_merge(
+        base_lines=["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+        ours_lines=["line1", "line2_same", "line3"],
+        theirs_lines=["line1", "line2_same", "line3"]
+    )
+    print()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/backend/examples/test_api.sh b/backend/examples/test_api.sh
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/examples/test_api.sh
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+#!/bin/bash
+# Example API calls using curl
+
+SERVER_URL="http://localhost:8080"
+
+echo "WizardMerge API - Example curl Commands"
+echo "========================================"
+echo
+
+# Test 1: No conflicts
+echo "Test 1: No conflicts (non-overlapping changes)"
+echo "-----------------------------------------------"
+curl -X POST "${SERVER_URL}/api/merge" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{
+    "base": ["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+    "ours": ["line1", "line2_modified", "line3"],
+    "theirs": ["line1", "line2", "line3_modified"]
+  }' | jq '.'
+echo
+echo
+
+# Test 2: With conflicts
+echo "Test 2: With conflicts (overlapping changes)"
+echo "---------------------------------------------"
+curl -X POST "${SERVER_URL}/api/merge" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{
+    "base": ["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+    "ours": ["line1", "line2_ours", "line3"],
+    "theirs": ["line1", "line2_theirs", "line3"]
+  }' | jq '.'
+echo
+echo
+
+# Test 3: Identical changes
+echo "Test 3: Identical changes (auto-resolved)"
+echo "------------------------------------------"
+curl -X POST "${SERVER_URL}/api/merge" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{
+    "base": ["line1", "line2", "line3"],
+    "ours": ["line1", "line2_same", "line3"],
+    "theirs": ["line1", "line2_same", "line3"]
+  }' | jq '.'
+echo
+echo
+
+# Test 4: Error handling - Missing field
+echo "Test 4: Error handling - Missing required field"
+echo "------------------------------------------------"
+curl -X POST "${SERVER_URL}/api/merge" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{
+    "base": ["line1", "line2"],
+    "ours": ["line1", "line2_modified"]
+  }' | jq '.'
+echo
+echo
+
+# Test 5: Error handling - Invalid JSON
+echo "Test 5: Error handling - Invalid JSON"
+echo "--------------------------------------"
+curl -X POST "${SERVER_URL}/api/merge" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d 'not json'
+echo
+echo
+
+echo "Done!"