Git Branching Strategies: GitFlow, Trunk-Based, and GitHub Flow Compared

# Rules:
# 1. main is always deployable
# 2. Create a branch for every feature/fix
# 3. Open PR early, get reviews
# 4. Deploy from branch to staging for final check
# 5. Merge to main → automatically deploy to production

# Branch naming:
git checkout -b feat/user-auth
git checkout -b fix/login-redirect
git checkout -b chore/update-deps

# Workflow:
git checkout -b feat/payment-flow
# ... commit, commit, commit ...
git push origin feat/payment-flow
# Open PR on GitHub
# CI runs: lint, type-check, tests
# Review approved
# Squash merge to main
# Auto-deploy triggers
git branch -d feat/payment-flow

# Best for: SaaS, web apps, continuous deployment, teams < 20 devs
# Not ideal for: apps needing simultaneous version support

# Rules:
# 1. All developers commit directly to main (or very short-lived branches < 2 days)
# 2. Feature flags hide incomplete features in production
# 3. CI must pass before every commit (enforced by pre-push hooks)
# 4. Never let main break

# Feature flag pattern:
if (featureFlags.isEnabled('new-checkout', userId)) {
  return ;
}
return ;

# Benefits:
# - Zero long-lived branches = zero merge conflicts
# - Deploy multiple times per day
# - Instant rollback: flip feature flag

# Requirements:
# - Strong test coverage (no safety net from PR reviews)
# - Fast CI (< 10 minutes or developers won't wait)
# - Feature flag infrastructure
# - Team discipline

# Best for: high-trust teams, continuous delivery culture, 10+ deploys/day

# Branches:
# main: production releases only
# develop: integration branch
# feature/*: new features (branch from develop)
# release/*: release preparation (branch from develop)
# hotfix/*: urgent production fixes (branch from main)

# Feature development:
git checkout develop
git checkout -b feature/user-auth
# ... work ...
git checkout develop && git merge --no-ff feature/user-auth

# Release:
git checkout develop
git checkout -b release/v2.1.0
# Bug fixes only on release branch
git checkout main && git merge --no-ff release/v2.1.0
git tag v2.1.0
git checkout develop && git merge --no-ff release/v2.1.0

# Best for: libraries with SemVer, mobile apps with App Store releases,
#           enterprise software with scheduled release windows