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davinceleecode
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Git Workflows Overview

#git #webdev #programming #beginners

This document outlines common Git workflows used in software development teams. Choose the one that best fits your project's size, complexity, and collaboration needs.

1️⃣Centralized Workflow

A simple workflow where all developers push and pull from a single central branch, usually main.

Best for:

  • Small teams or solo projects
  • Simple projects without parallel features

Branch Structure 

Repo
└── main
     └── [all commits here]
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Example 

# Start working from the main branch
git checkout main
git pull origin main

# Make changes
git add .
git commit -m "feat: update homepage layout"

# Push directly to main
git push origin main
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2️⃣ Feature Branch Workflow

Each new feature or bug fix is developed in its own branch, then merged into main or develop via a pull request.

Best for:

Teams with code review practices

Projects using CI/CD pipelines

Branch Structure 

main
├── feature/login-page
├── bugfix/fix-footer
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Example 

git checkout -b feature/user-login
# work on feature
git commit -m "feat: add login form"
git push origin feature/user-login
# create PR to main
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3️⃣ Git Flow Workflow

A more structured workflow with separate branches for development, releases, hotfixes, and features.

Best for:

  • Large teams
  • Projects with scheduled releases

Branch Structure 

main
develop
├── feature/*
├── release/*
└── hotfix/*
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Example 

git checkout -b feature/user-profile develop
# complete feature, merge into develop
# prepare release: git checkout -b release/1.0.0 develop
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4️⃣ GitHub Flow

A lightweight workflow where everything happens on feature branches and is merged into main via PRs.

Best for:

  • Web applications with continuous deployment
  • Teams using GitHub Actions or CI tools

Branch Structure 

main
├── feature/*
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Example 

git checkout -b feature/payment-integration
# work and commit
git push origin feature/payment-integration
# create PR into main
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5️⃣ Trunk-Based Development

Developers work directly in the main (or trunk) branch, sometimes using short-lived branches that are merged multiple times a day.

Best for:

  • High-speed deployments
  • Advanced CI/CD setups

Branch Structure 

main
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Example 

git checkout -b quick-fix
# fix and push fast
git merge --squash quick-fix into main
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Choosing the Right Workflow

Workflow Best For Complexity
Centralized Solo/small projects ⭐
Feature Branch Mid-size teams ⭐⭐
Git Flow Enterprise & staged releases ⭐⭐⭐
GitHub Flow Fast-moving, modern teams ⭐⭐
Trunk-Based CI/CD-first environments ⭐⭐

Bonus

  • Use Pull Requests to ensure code review and CI checks
  • Keep feature branches short-lived
  • Delete merged branches to keep repo clean
  • Always pull before starting new work

Top comments (2)

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davinceleecode profile image
davinceleecode •

Most of the time, what Git workflow are you working on? Please comment down 👇

  • 🧵 Centralized – one main branch for all
  • 🌿 Feature Branch – create a branch for each new task
  • 🚢 Git Flow – structured release model with develop/main
  • ⚡ GitHub Flow – fast-moving PR-based development
  • 🧪 Trunk-Based – merge early, deploy often

Let us know what fits your project best!

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