Development Workflows in Git and GitHub

Three flavors for teams of all sizes

Jonathan Peake

What is a Git workflow?

• Using branches to control where, when, and by whom a project is developed

• Also called a “branching strategy”

• Different strategies work best for teams of differing sizes and goals

Why use Git workflows?

• Consistent strategy for project development

• Better collaboration with team members

• Parallel development

• Organize releases

• Fix issues and add features without disrupting development

Branch Types in Git Workflows

Main branch

• Also called the “default” or “trunk” branch

• Finalized, production-ready code and files

• Permanent

Feature branch

• Catered to feature development

• Short-lived

Release branch

• Prepare specific version of project for release

• Longer-lived but ephemeral

Develop branch

• Staging branch for ongoing development

• Changes are tested and integrated into project before merged into main

• Permanent

Three “flavors” of Git workflows

Trunk-based workflow

Release focused development

Continuous integration into main branch

With or without separate ephemeral branches

GitHub flow

Feature focused development optimized for web-based projects

Periodic integration into main branch

Each “feature” gets a new ephemeral branch

Git flow

Complex development using release, develop, and feature branches

Choosing the right workflow structure

Balance project complexity and team size

• Trunk-based workflow - New projects, small teams and individuals

• GitHub flow - Established projects, small and medium teams

• Git flow - Mature or complex projects, large teams

Set expectations early, evolve with your project

Experiment with workflows and find one that works for your project and team

As your project evolves, you may need to change your workflow to accommodate your needs