Gitflow Atlassian - Shell/Bash

Introduction

Gitflow is a branching model which is used in Git. It was developed and popularized by Vincent Driessen in 2010. Atlassian, a software company, has implemented Gitflow into their products by providing plugins for Git.

In this article, we will be discussing Gitflow Atlassian and how it can be used in Shell/Bash.

Gitflow Workflow

Gitflow essentially involves two main branches - the master branch which contains production-ready code, and the develop branch which contains new features and bug fixes.

Feature Branches

When a new feature is to be developed, a feature branch is created from the develop branch. Changes to the feature branch are made until the feature is complete. Once complete, the feature branch is merged back into the develop branch.

Release Branches

When the develop branch contains enough features and is ready for release, a release branch is created from the develop branch. Release branch contains only bug fixes and small changes. Once the code in the release branch is stable enough, it is merged into both the master and develop branches.

Hotfix Branches

If a critical bug is discovered in the production code, a hotfix branch is created from the master branch. The hotfix branch contains only the changes required to fix the bug. Once complete, the hotfix branch is merged into both the master and develop branches.

Using Gitflow Atlassian in Shell/Bash

Atlassian provides a plugin for Git that enables Gitflow. The plugin is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux users.

Installing Gitflow Atlassian

To install Gitflow Atlassian on a Linux system, follow these steps:

1. Install Git using the package manager (e.g., sudo apt install git)
2. Install the plugin using the following command:

   sudo curl -L https://github.com/nvie/gitflow/releases/download/AVH-1.12.3/gitflow-avh-1.12.3.tar.gz | tar -xz && sudo mv gitflow-1.12.3/ /opt/ && sudo ln -s /opt/gitflow-1.12.3/gitflow /usr/bin/gitflow
   

Using Gitflow Atlassian

Once Gitflow Atlassian is installed, using it in Shell/Bash is straightforward.

Initializing Gitflow

To initialize Gitflow in a repository, use the following command:

$ git flow init

This will initialize Gitflow in the repository by creating the necessary branches.

Creating a Feature Branch

To create a feature branch in Gitflow Atlassian, use the following command:

$ git flow feature start <feature-name>

This will create a feature branch from the develop branch.

Completing a Feature Branch

To complete a feature branch in Gitflow Atlassian, use the following command:

$ git flow feature finish <feature-name>

This will merge the changes from the feature branch into the develop branch and delete the feature branch.

Creating a Release Branch

To create a release branch in Gitflow Atlassian, use the following command:

$ git flow release start <release-name>

This will create a release branch from the develop branch.

Completing a Release Branch

To complete a release branch in Gitflow Atlassian, use the following command:

$ git flow release finish <release-name>

This will merge the changes from the release branch into both the master and develop branches, and delete the release branch.

Creating a Hotfix Branch

To create a hotfix branch in Gitflow Atlassian, use the following command:

$ git flow hotfix start <hotfix-name>

This will create a hotfix branch from the master branch.

Completing a Hotfix Branch

To complete a hotfix branch in Gitflow Atlassian, use the following command:

$ git flow hotfix finish <hotfix-name>

This will merge the changes from the hotfix branch into both the master and develop branches, and delete the hotfix branch.

Conclusion

Gitflow Atlassian is a powerful tool for managing branching workflows in Git. With the plugin provided by Atlassian, using Gitflow in Shell/Bash is straightforward. This article has covered the basics of Gitflow Atlassian and how it can be used in Shell/Bash. By following the Gitflow workflow, developers can improve collaboration and ensure that only production-ready code is released.