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Skill: Git Workflow Strategies (GitFlow, Trunk-Based, GitHub Flow)

Purpose

To choose and implement the right Git workflow for your team, ensuring smooth collaboration, releases.

When to Use

  • When onboarding a new team to Git
  • For teams working on different release cadences
  • When switching from ad-hoc commits to structured workflows
  • For teams using CI/CD pipelines
  • When you need clarity on branching, merging, and releasing

Procedure

1. GitHub Flow (Simplest Workflow

Perfect for continuous deployment.

# 1. Create a feature branch from main
git checkout -b feature/new-checkout
# 2. Commit changes
git add .
git commit -m "feat: add new checkout flow"
# 3. Push branch
git push -u origin feature/new-checkout
# 4. Open Pull Request (PR)
# 5. Review, discuss, update PR
# 6. Merge PR to main
# 7. Deploy immediately
git checkout main
git pull
git branch -d feature/new-checkout  # Cleanup

2. GitFlow (For Scheduled Releases)

Ideal for teams with regular release cycles (e.g., monthly).

# 1. Main branches: main (production) and develop
git checkout -b develop  # Start from develop for new features
# 2. Feature branch from develop
git checkout -b feature/user-profile develop
git commit -m "feat: add user profile page"
git push origin feature/user-profile
# 3. Merge feature to develop via PR
# 4. When ready for release: create release branch from develop
git checkout -b release/v1.2.0 develop
# 5. Fix bugs on release branch
git commit -m "fix: adjust pricing calculation"
# 6. Merge release to main AND develop
git checkout main
git merge --no-ff release/v1.2.0
git tag -a v1.2.0 -m "Release v1.2.0"
git checkout develop
git merge --no-ff release/v1.2.0
# 7. Delete release branch
git branch -d release/v1.2.0
# 8. Hotfix from main
git checkout -b hotfix/critical-bug main
git commit -m "fix: resolve payment timeout"
git checkout main
git merge --no-ff hotfix/critical-bug
git tag -a v1.2.1 -m "Hotfix v1.2.1"
git checkout develop
git merge --no-ff hotfix/critical-bug
git branch -d hotfix/critical-bug

3. Trunk-Based Development (High-Velocity Teams)

For teams that deploy multiple times per day.

# 1. Work directly on short-lived feature branches (max 1-2 days)
git checkout -b feat/fast-feature main
# 2. Small, focused commits
git commit -m "feat: add button hover"
# 3. Push and merge to main quickly (via PR with tests!)
# 4. Use feature flags for incomplete features
# Example: Feature flag in code
if (featureFlags.newDashboard) {
  renderNewDashboard();
}
# 5. Clean up feature flags once released

Best Practices

  • GitHub Flow: Use for startups/teams with continuous deployment
  • GitFlow: Use for scheduled releases (e.g., enterprise software)
  • Trunk-Based: Use for high-velocity teams with strong CI/CD
  • Short-Lived Branches: Keep branches < 1-2 days max
  • Small Commits: Atomic, focused commits for easier review/rollback
  • CI on PR: Always run tests before merging
  • Cleanup: Delete branches after merging
  • Tags: Use semantic tags for releases