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Branching Strategies

A well-defined branching strategy helps teams work more effectively by:

  1. Providing a framework for organizing code changes and collaboration
  2. Managing the risks associated with code changes through separate branches for development and production
  3. Enabling effective version control and rollback
How do I choose a strategy?

Consider project size, number of engineers, and testing requirements. High-visibility projects may need more testing overhead; small teams working on distinct features can move faster with simpler workflows.

GitHub Flow (Low Complexity)​

One default branch (main). Feature branches are created off main and merged back when complete.

Workflow​

  1. Create a main branch representing the latest stable version
  2. Create a feature branch off main with a descriptive name (e.g., eknorr/new-login-page)
  3. Make commits on the feature branch
  4. Merge back into main via pull request when complete
  5. Repeat for each feature

Pros​

  • Fast and streamlined
  • Quick feedback loop
  • Well suited for small teams

Cons​

  • More susceptible to bugs (no development buffer)
  • Not well suited for multiple release versions

GitFlow (Medium Complexity)​

Two permanent branches: main and dev. Features branch off dev and merge back. Only dev merges into main at release time.

Workflow​

  1. Create main (stable) and dev (development) branches
  2. Checkout feature branches from dev
  3. Merge features back into dev
  4. When ready for release, merge dev into main (optionally via a release branch for final testing)
  5. Tag the release

Pros​

  • Parallel development with production isolation
  • Easier to manage multiple versions
  • Well-organized branch types

Cons​

  • Higher complexity
  • More branches to manage

Trunk-Based Development (Low-Medium Complexity)​

All developers commit frequently to a single main branch, using very short-lived feature branches (usually merged within a day or two). Works well when combined with feature flags and a strong CI pipeline.

Workflow​

  1. Pull the latest main
  2. Create a short-lived branch for the feature or fix
  3. Open a pull request and merge within a day or two
  4. Repeat - no long-lived feature branches

Pros​

  • Reduces merge conflicts (frequent integration)
  • Keeps the team moving fast
  • Well suited for CI/CD

Cons​

  • Requires discipline to keep branches short-lived
  • Incomplete features need feature flags to avoid breaking main
Official IA Guidance

Inductive Automation's version control guide covers branching strategies and team environment best practices at docs.inductiveautomation.com.