Understand the Github Flow and tips to improve it.

We know that GitHub is a highly used software that is typically used for version control. We use it day in and day out to manage and develop projects or contributing to Open Source. We need to follow a workflow which is easier to teach and follow, both of which result in a more consistent application. To put it simply, a workflow is how you get the work done.

In this article we will see what is the Github Flow that we need to follow.

So, let’s understand what Github Flow does and its usage.

Github flow is a standard lightweight workflow followed for easy deployment process and this workflow is used regularly.

Below is the Flow

• Create a Branch
• Commits( create, edit. delete, update)
• Pull request
• Review Code
• Merge the Pull request
• Code Cleanup

The above set of actions needs to be followed rigorously in order to achieve a proper Github flow.

Until now we have seen what a Github Flow is, now let’s see how Github Flow is different from Git Flow.

Basically, Git Flow works with different branches to manage easily each phase of the software development. It is used in environment with “releases” and it is not best suited for Continuous Deployment.

The Structure looks like this, there will be four types of branches:

- master
- release
- hotfix/*
- feature/*

Well, that is not the case with Github Flow, it is more of a continuous deployment environment with no concept of release. The reason is that every time you have a new feature introduced it is pushed live immediately.

If you would like to know more about GitHub Flow you can read here.

Github Tricks and Tips

In this section we will cover some of the random GitHub tips and tricks that would be handy during the Workflow process and can hopefully speed up your development process.

• Organize you contributing guidelines.
• Task list with Markdown as shown below.

- [ ] Tests for Error pages
- [x] Tests for unauthorized access
- [ ] Add Image Check

• Use GitHub Gist while sharing snippets.
• Structuring commits
• Know about Git Blame and Git Bisect
• GitHub code review and exploration using Octotree Plugin.
• Know your .git folder

So far, we have seen the basic GitHub Flow and how is it different from the Git Flow and also some of the unique and random tips. I’d love to hear from you about your favorite GitHub tips that save you time and improve your code workflow.