?? Post 6 - Mastering Git Flow: A Workflow for Scalable Development

?? Git Flow is a popular branching model that helps teams manage features, releases, and hotfixes in a structured way.

Why use Git Flow?

? Organizes development with clear branch roles

? Prevents unstable code in main

? Allows teams to work on multiple features/releases simultaneously

?? Git Flow Branches Explained

?? main (formerly master)

- The stable branch containing production-ready code.

- Every commit here is deployable.

?? develop

- The integration branch where all features are merged before release.

- This is where daily development happens.

?? feature/*

- Used to develop new features before merging into develop.

- Example: feature/user-authentication

?? release/*

- Used to prepare a new production release.

- Example: release/v1.0.0

?? hotfix/*

- For critical fixes on production (when a bug is found after a release).

- Example: hotfix/urgent-login-fix

?? How to Use Git Flow

Git Flow is available as a command-line tool. Install it with:

git flow init        

?? Creating a new feature branch:

git flow feature start new-login        

When done, merge it back into develop:

git flow feature finish new-login        

?? Starting a release branch:

git flow release start v1.0.0        

Finalize and merge it into main:

git flow release finish v1.0.0        

?? Handling a hotfix (critical bug fix on production):

git flow hotfix start urgent-login-fix        

After fixing the bug, merge it back into main and develop:

git flow hotfix finish urgent-login-fix        

?? When Should You Use Git Flow?

? Large teams that need structured releases

? Projects with stable production environments

? When following a clear release cycle

? Avoid Git Flow if:

- You deploy continuously (use Trunk-Based Development instead).

- Your team is small and you prefer a simpler workflow.

?? Conclusion: Git Flow brings structure to Git workflows, ensuring code stability and seamless releases.

?? Have you used Git Flow before? What do you like/dislike about it?

?? Final Strategy for the Git Series

We now have 6 posts covering Git from beginner to advanced:

1?? Git Basics

2?? Branching & Workflows

3?? Resolving Merge Conflicts

4?? Writing Better Commits

5?? Advanced Git (Stash, Cherry-Pick, Hooks)

6?? Git Flow: A Scalable Workflow for Teams