Git Flow Workflow Explained

Git Flow Workflow Explained

Git Flow is a branching model designed for teams working on software projects with scheduled releases. This guide will help you understand and implement this workflow effectively.

What You’ll Learn

• Understanding Git Flow
• Branch types and purposes
• Workflow implementation
• Best practices
• Common scenarios

Implementation Steps

1. Initial Setup

   # Install Git Flow
   # macOS
   brew install git-flow
   
   # Ubuntu/Debian
   sudo apt-get install git-flow
   
   # Initialize Git Flow
   git flow init
   

   • Install tools
   • Initialize repo
   • Configure branches
   • Set up workflow

2. Branch Structure

   # Main branches
   main        # Production branch
   develop     # Development branch
   
   # Supporting branches
   feature/*   # New features
   release/*   # Release preparation
   hotfix/*    # Production fixes
   

   • Understand branches
   • Create structure
   • Set up protection
   • Configure workflow

3. Feature Development

   # Start feature
   git flow feature start new-feature
   
   # Work on feature
   git commit -m "Add feature"
   
   # Finish feature
   git flow feature finish new-feature
   

   • Create features
   • Develop changes
   • Test features
   • Merge to develop

4. Release Management

   # Start release
   git flow release start 1.0.0
   
   # Prepare release
   git commit -m "Bump version"
   
   # Finish release
   git flow release finish 1.0.0
   

   • Create releases
   • Version updates
   • Bug fixes
   • Deploy to production

Best Practices

1. Branch Management

   • Keep main stable
   • Regular merges
   • Clean history
   • Proper naming

2. Release Process

   • Version control
   • Testing strategy
   • Documentation
   • Deployment plan

3. Team Collaboration

   • Clear communication
   • Code review
   • Documentation
   • Regular sync

4. Quality Assurance

   • Automated testing
   • Code review
   • Performance checks
   • Security scans

Common Use Cases

1. New Feature

   # Start feature
   git flow feature start user-auth
   
   # Develop feature
   git commit -m "Add authentication"
   
   # Finish feature
   git flow feature finish user-auth
   

2. Release Preparation

   # Start release
   git flow release start 1.1.0
   
   # Update version
   git commit -m "Bump to 1.1.0"
   
   # Finish release
   git flow release finish 1.1.0
   

3. Hotfix

   # Start hotfix
   git flow hotfix start security-fix
   
   # Fix issue
   git commit -m "Fix security issue"
   
   # Finish hotfix
   git flow hotfix finish security-fix
   

4. Version Management

   # Tag release
   git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release 1.0.0"
   
   # Push tags
   git push origin --tags
   

Advanced Usage

1. Custom Workflow

   # Custom branch names
   git config gitflow.prefix.feature "feature/"
   git config gitflow.prefix.release "release/"
   git config gitflow.prefix.hotfix "hotfix/"
   

2. Automated Testing

   # Pre-merge hooks
   # .git/hooks/pre-merge-commit
   #!/bin/sh
   npm test
   

3. CI/CD Integration

   # GitHub Actions workflow
   name: CI/CD
   on:
     push:
       branches: [ main, develop ]
   jobs:
     build:
       runs-on: ubuntu-latest
       steps:
         - uses: actions/checkout@v2
         - name: Build
           run: npm run build
   

4. Release Automation

   # Release script
   #!/bin/bash
   version=$1
   git flow release start $version
   npm version $version
   git flow release finish $version
   

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Merge Conflicts

   # Resolve conflicts
   git mergetool
   
   # Continue flow
   git flow feature finish feature-name
   

2. Release Issues

   # Abort release
   git flow release abort
   
   # Start new release
   git flow release start new-version
   

3. Hotfix Problems

   # Emergency fix
   git flow hotfix start critical-fix
   
   # Quick deploy
   git flow hotfix finish critical-fix
   

Conclusion

Git Flow provides structure. Remember to:

• Follow workflow
• Maintain quality
• Document changes
• Test thoroughly
• Deploy safely

Next Steps

After mastering Git Flow, consider:

• Learning other workflows
• Exploring automation
• Understanding CI/CD
• Setting up monitoring