Managing Two Branches and Merging Commits from Stage to Main

Managing Two Branches and Merging Commits from Stage to Main

Introduction 1

In the development process, particularly when managing web projects or software, using version control systems like Git is fundamental. A common approach is to maintain at least two branches: main for production and stage for ongoing development and testing. This article explores the strategy of working with these two branches effectively and how to merge commits from stage to main when necessary.

Setting Up the Branches

Initially, ensure that you have two branches in your repository: main and stage. The main branch holds the production-ready code, while stage is used for development and pre-production testing.

1. Create the stage branch (if it doesn’t exist):

   1git checkout -b stage
   

   This command creates and switches to the stage branch.

2. Push the stage branch to your remote repository:

   1git push -u origin stage
   

   This establishes stage on your remote, tracking the branch with your local copy.

Workflow Between stage and main

The workflow typically involves regular development activities on the stage branch, periodic merges into main, and ensuring that main is always in a deployable state.

Development in Stage

Developers commit all new features, bug fixes, and improvements to the stage branch. This is where all integration tests and pre-release activities occur.

1git checkout stage
2# Developers make changes and commit them
3git add .
4git commit -m "Add new features"

Merging Changes to Main

Once the changes in stage are stable and tested, you can merge them into main. This step is critical because it updates the production environment with the latest tested features from development.

1git checkout main
2git pull origin main  # Ensure the main is up to date
3git merge stage
4git push origin main

This method of merging keeps the commit history from the stage branch. If you prefer a cleaner history, you might consider using git rebase before merging.

Rebase and Merge

Rebasing is an alternative to merging that can make the project history cleaner and linear.

1git checkout stage
2git rebase main
3# Resolve any conflicts that arise during the rebase
4
5git checkout main
6git merge stage  # This will now be a fast-forward merge
7git push origin main

Best Practices

1. Keep main stable: Always ensure that the main branch is stable and deployable. It should only receive changes from stage that are thoroughly tested and approved.

2. Use Pull Requests: Even if direct merges are used, consider using pull requests for merging stage into main as they offer a chance to review changes, run automated checks, and ensure compliance with project standards before merging.

3. Regularly Update Stage: Frequently merge changes from main back into stage to keep the development branch up-to-date with the production environment. This helps reduce merge conflicts and integration issues.

1git checkout stage
2git merge main
3git push origin stage

Conclusion

Managing two branches, stage for development and main for production, with periodic merges, is a robust strategy to maintain the quality and stability of the software while allowing continuous development and testing. Utilizing Git commands to manage branches effectively ensures a smooth workflow in software development projects.