GitHub Flow
Learn about GitHub Flow - a simple, branch-based workflow
GitHub Flow
GitHub Flow is a lightweight, branch-based workflow that supports teams and projects where deployments are made regularly. It's perfect for teams that deploy frequently and want a simple workflow.
Core Principles
- Main branch is always deployable
- Create branches for new features
- Open pull requests early
- Deploy after code review
- Merge after deployment
Workflow Steps
1. Create a Branch
# Create and switch to new branch
git checkout -b feature/user-authentication
# Push branch to GitHub
git push -u origin feature/user-authentication
2. Add Commits
# Make changes and commit
git add .
git commit -m "Add login form component"
git push origin feature/user-authentication
# Continue with more commits
git commit -m "Add password validation"
git push origin feature/user-authentication
3. Open Pull Request
- Create PR as soon as you have something to discuss
- Add description explaining changes
- Request reviews from team members
- Use draft PRs for work in progress
4. Discuss and Review Code
# PR Review Process
1. Code review by team members
2. Automated tests run
3. Address feedback
4. Update code based on comments
5. Get approval from reviewers
5. Deploy
# Deploy feature branch to staging/production
# Test in live environment
# Verify everything works correctly
6. Merge
# After successful deployment and testing
# Merge PR to main branch
# Delete feature branch
git branch -d feature/user-authentication
Branch Strategy
Main Branch
- Always stable and deployable
- Protected with branch protection rules
- All features merge here
- Automatically deployed to production
Feature Branches
# Naming conventions
feature/user-login
feature/shopping-cart
bugfix/login-validation
hotfix/security-patch
Best Practices
Branch Naming
# Good branch names
feature/add-payment-processing
bugfix/fix-user-registration
hotfix/security-vulnerability
refactor/update-api-endpoints
Commit Messages
# Follow conventional commits
feat: add user authentication
fix: resolve login validation issue
docs: update API documentation
refactor: improve error handling
Pull Request Guidelines
# Good PR Description
## What
Add user authentication system
## Why
Users need to log in to access protected features
## How
- JWT token implementation
- Password hashing with bcrypt
- Login/logout endpoints
## Testing
- [ ] Unit tests pass
- [ ] Integration tests pass
- [ ] Manual testing completed
Closes #123
Deployment Strategy
Continuous Deployment
# Example GitHub Actions workflow
name: Deploy
on:
push:
branches: [main]
jobs:
deploy:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v2
- name: Deploy to production
run: ./deploy.sh
Feature Branch Deployment
# Deploy feature branch for testing
git push origin feature/new-feature
# Automatic deployment to staging environment
# Test and verify changes
# Merge to main for production deployment
Advantages
Simplicity
- Easy to understand and implement
- Minimal overhead compared to complex workflows
- Fast iteration and deployment cycles
Flexibility
- Adapt to team size and project needs
- Scale from small to large teams
- Works well with CI/CD pipelines
Collaboration
- Early feedback through pull requests
- Code review built into workflow
- Knowledge sharing across team
When to Use GitHub Flow
Good For:
- Web applications with frequent deployments
- Teams that want simple workflows
- Projects with continuous delivery
- Startups and agile development
Consider Alternatives When:
- Multiple versions need maintenance
- Complex release cycles required
- Large enterprise environments
- Strict regulatory requirements
Comparison with Git Flow
| Aspect | GitHub Flow | Git Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Complexity | Simple | Complex |
| Branches | main + feature | main + develop + feature + release + hotfix |
| Deployment | Continuous | Planned releases |
| Best for | Web apps | Software releases |
Example Workflow
# 1. Start from main
git checkout main
git pull origin main
# 2. Create feature branch
git checkout -b feature/add-user-profile
# 3. Develop feature
git add .
git commit -m "feat: add user profile component"
git push origin feature/add-user-profile
# 4. Open pull request on GitHub
# 5. Code review and discussion
# 6. Deploy to staging for testing
# 7. Merge to main
# 8. Automatic production deployment
# 9. Delete feature branch
git branch -d feature/add-user-profile