Git-flow and master with multiple parallel release-branches

git git-flow
Mot picture Mot · May 15, 2013 · Viewed 64.6k times · Source

We are trying to adopt the successful Git branching model implemented by git-flow. Now, we are working on at least two release-branches, one for the latest stable release and one for the next ("preview") release. What I don't understand is why all releases seems to "linearized" to the master and tagged there. Why not tag the releases in their release branches? Why the master at all? Or why a develop branch and not use master for it?

Answer

mstrap picture mstrap · May 31, 2013

In the git-flow model, your "latest released" version actually maps to the master, while your "preview release" maps to a git-flow release branch. It is forked from develop and finally merged into master when the actual release happens. Then this will become your "latest release" and you will usually fix only bugs for that release, using git-flow hotfixbranches. In this way, your master always represents the most stable state of your latest released version.

If you want to fix bugs for older releases or do any other develop there, you will fork a support branch from the appropriate commit in master (you will have all versions ever created there). support branches are still experimental (according to the docs) and are not well documented. But as you can see from the command line help:

usage: git flow support [list] [-v]
       git flow support start [-F] <version> <base>

these branches are just started and not intended to be merged back to master nor develop. This is usually fine, as fixes to "ancient" releases or features requested by customers to be implemented in "ancient" releases can't or should not go back into master. If you still think, you want to port a fix to your main development line (represented by master and develop), just start a hotfix, cherry-pick your changes and finish the hotfix.

Related questions

Git merge master into feature branch

Let’s say we have the following situation in Git: A created repository: mkdir GitTest2 cd GitTest2 git init Some modifications in the master take place and get committed: echo "On Master" > file git commit -a -m "Initial commit" …

Read More
Create a branch in Git from another branch

I have two branches: master and dev I want to create a "feature branch" from the dev branch. Currently on the branch dev, I do: $ git checkout -b myfeature dev ... (some work) $ git commit -am "blablabla" $ git push origin myfeature …

Read More
git flow branches have diverged

I'm using the git flow tools and I've gotten myself in a bit of problem. My git branches have diverged. I've read master branch and 'origin/master' have diverged, how to 'undiverge' branches'? and have tried to follow the steps, …

Read More