Git workflows are a set of guidelines that help teams collaborate on projects using Git. Common workflows include feature branching, Gitflow, and forking workflows. These workflows help manage code changes and ensure smooth integration.
main/produnctionThis is the main/prod branch from which the current, stable version of the product/project is deployed from. By the time code is merged into main, it has been extensively tested for bugs and errors, and these merges are not expected to cause problems.
dev/testing/nextThis is the branch to which most big merges will take place; it is where the “next” version of the product/project is being tested, and where new features are being integrated into.
This is where new features are being developed, and which are eventually merged into dev when accepted. These branches may have sub-branches, if the team has multiple developers or if there are multiple parts to the feature to be worked on separately.
These are ad-hoc branches which are created to address specific issues or bugs that have cropped up, usually after changes have been merged into main. These changes are usually merged directly to main, so as to quickly address vulnerablities or user-reported issues.
The upstream branch, sometimes referred to as the parent branch, is the branch that serves as a target for all other branches. Changes made in different branches are eventually merged into the upstream branch. It is typically a main branch like main or dev, acting as the integration point for the team’s work.
The downstream branch is derived from the upstream branch and is used to implement specific features or fixes. It does not serve as the primary integration branch but is often merged back into the upstream branch once work is completed. Downstream branches allow developers to work independently without disrupting the overall progress of the project.
The merge command in Git is used to integrate changes from different branches. When you run git merge, it combines the differences between two branches, creating a new commit that incorporates those changes. This is often used to bring feature branches into a main branch like dev or main, allowing new features or bug fixes to be added to the stable codebase. Properly resolving conflicts during a merge ensures that all changes are harmonized.
A pull request (PR) is a GitHub feature that allows changes between two branches to be viewed in a web interface. Reviewers and other authorized members may add comments to the PR, or comment on specific lines of code in the files.
Once a projecct gains members, it is important to establish a common workflow. This is usually written as a document, describing the:
main instead of master