This document introduces Git Flow, a branching model for Git that supports parallel development and release management of projects. It recommends using separate branches for features, releases, hotfixes and support. The key branches are develop, which always holds the complete history and is used for integration, and master, which holds production-ready code. Feature branches are used for new development and merged into develop when ready. Release branches are used to prepare releases and merged into both develop and master. Hotfix branches address issues in master and merged into both. Visual diagrams and step-by-step examples are provided to demonstrate how to set up and use Git Flow for parallel development and releases.

1. Git-Flow
for Daily Use
Kevin Basarab
Twitter: @kBasarab
IRC: @kBasarab

2. Prereqs
● Git 101
● A multiple environment setup (Dev-Stage-Prod)
● Comfortable on the CLI

3. Benefits
● Parallel Development
● Collaboration
● Release Staging
● Support for Emergency fixes
Source: http://datasift.github.com/gitflow/IntroducingGitFlow.html

4. What is Git-Flow
● At the core Git-flow is a branching and merging strategy
● GIT branches are cheap, merges are easy
● Other systems: Each branch is a complete replication of codebase

5. Branching 101
> git branch -a;
develop
new_branch
*develop
master
remotes/origin/master
remotes/origin/develop
> git checkout -b new_branch
Switched to a new branch 'new_branch'
> git branch
develop
...
*new_branch
> git branch test_2

6. Merging 101
> git checkout develop;
Switched to branch 'develop'
> git merge new_branch

7. ● Master Branch
○ The production site codebase
● Develop Branch
○ All code ready for production on a staging environment
● Feature
○ Active code development. Usually related to one ticket.
● Release
○ Integration branch to test develop merging into master
● Hotfix
○ Emergency fix to the production site
Terminology

8. Visualize Git-Flow
Source: http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/

9. Visualize Git-Flow
Source: http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/

10. Visualize Git-Flow
Source: http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/

11. Visualize Git-Flow
Source: http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/

12. Source: http://bit.ly/10iUTKK

13. Scenario
● Start using git-flow on a basic git repo
● Roll code based on a ticket
● Have a peer code review or help build functionality.
● Release this to production
● We had a misspelling, fix on production

14. Setup Git-Flow
● Install git-flow locally.
○ https://github.com/nvie/gitflow/wiki/Mac-OS-X
○ https://github.com/nvie/gitflow/wiki/Linux
○ https://github.com/nvie/gitflow/wiki/Windows
> git status
# On branch master
nothing to commit (working directory clean)
> git-flow init
Which branch should be used for bringing forth production releases?
- master
Branch name for production releases: [master]
Branch name for "next release" development: [develop]
How to name your supporting branch prefixes?
Feature branches? [feature/]
Release branches? [release/]
Hotfix branches? [hotfix/]
Support branches? [support/]
Version tag prefix? []

15. > git checkout develop
Create feature
> git branch
* develop
master
> git-flow feature start 1234-78900-Add-Feature
Switched to a new branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature'
Summary of actions:
- A new branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature' was created, based on
'develop'
- You are now on branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature'
Now, start committing on your feature. When done, use:
git flow feature finish 1234-78900-Add-Feature

16. > git-flow feature publish 1234-78900-Add-Feature
Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: bb/acl: kbasarab is allowed. accepted payload.
To test.git
* [new branch] feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature -> feature/1234-
78900-Add-Feature
Already on 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature'
Summary of actions:
- A new remote branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature' was created
- The local branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature' was configured to
track the remote branch
- You are now on branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature'
Publish feature
# Another user on another computer:
> git fetch
> git checkout feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature
...
> git fetch; git rebase origin/feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature
...
> git push origin feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature

17. > git-flow feature finish 1234-78900-Add-Feature
Switched to branch 'develop'
Already up-to-date.
Deleted branch feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature (was f135b69).
Summary of actions:
- The feature branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature' was merged into
'develop'
- Feature branch 'feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature' has been removed
- You are now on branch 'develop'
Finish feature
> git push origin develop
Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: bb/acl: kbasarab is allowed. accepted payload.
To test.git
f22f2d0..f135b69 develop -> develop
> git push origin :feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature
remote: bb/acl: kbasarab is allowed. accepted payload.
To test.git
- [deleted] feature/1234-78900-Add-Feature

18. > git-flow release start 2013-03-14.0
Switched to a new branch 'release/2013-03-14.0'
Summary of actions:
- A new branch 'release/2013-03-14.0' was created, based on 'develop'
- You are now on branch 'release/2013-03-14.0'
Follow-up actions:
- Bump the version number now!
- Start committing last-minute fixes in preparing your release
- When done, run:
git flow release finish '2013-03-14.0'
Create release
> git push origin release/2013-03-14.0
Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: bb/acl: kbasarab is allowed. accepted payload.
To test.git
* [new branch] release/2013-03-14.0 -> release/2013-03-14.0

19. > git-flow release finish 2013-03-14.0
Switched to branch 'master'
Merge made by the 'recursive' strategy.
example.txt | 9 +++++++++
1 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
Deleted branch release/2013-03-14.0 (was f135b69).
Summary of actions:
- Latest objects have been fetched from 'origin'
- Release branch has been merged into 'master'
- The release was tagged '2013-03-14.0'
- Release branch has been back-merged into 'develop'
- Release branch 'release/2013-03-14.0' has been deleted
> git push origin :release/2013-03-14.0
remote: bb/acl: kbasarab is allowed. accepted payload.
To test.git
- [deleted] release/2013-03-14.0
Finish release

20. > git push --tags
Counting objects: 2, done.
Delta compression using up to 4 threads.
Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done.
Writing objects: 100% (2/2), 352 bytes, done.
Total 2 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: bb/acl: kbasarab is allowed. accepted payload.
To test.git
* [new tag] 2013-03-14.0 -> 2013-03-14.0
Finish release

21. > git-flow hotfix start 2013-03-17.0
Switched to a new branch 'hotfix/2013-03-17.0'
Summary of actions:
- A new branch 'hotfix/2013-03-17.0' was created, based on 'master'
- You are now on branch 'hotfix/2013-03-17.0'
Follow-up actions:
- Bump the version number now!
- Start committing your hot fixes
- When done, run:
git flow hotfix finish '2013-03-17.0'
> ... Commits
> git-flow hotfix finish 2013-03-17.0
> git push origin master
> git push --tags
Hotfix

22. ● http://www.mediacurrent.com/blog/webinar-git-intro
● http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/
● http://datasift.github.com/gitflow/IntroducingGitFlow.html
Resources

23. Thank You!
Questions
Twitter: @kBasarab
IRC: @kBasarab