Today, we're excited to introduce git-flow-next, a brand-new, open-source command-line tool that reimagines the popular git-flow model. It's designed to give you the agility and advanced capabilities needed for modern, demanding Git workflows.
As the creators of Tower, we worked closely with a lot of teams using git-flow. We understood why it was so popular, but we couldn't ignore the friction and frustration it often caused.
Instead of merely working around these problems, we decided to address them directly. While developing the Tower 14 for Mac release, which enables you to create custom branching workflows of any kind, we considered whether we could extend similar functionality to CLI users.
With git-flow-next, we're doing just that! We're giving back to the development community a tool that adapts to the Git workflow you're seeking – regardless of complexity and the level of flexibility you require.
Core Features
git-flow-next was built on top of the original git-flow and gitflow-avh projects (both of which are now discontinued), paving the way forward with a strong emphasis on improving the developer experience and making it much more customizable.
In short, our aim is to deliver a tool that is:
- Engineered for stability and flexibility.
- Written in Go for exceptional speed and efficiency.
- Fully compatible with your existing
git-flowsetups. - Able to provide clearer guidance through complex merges.
- Designed to seamlessly integrate with today's diverse Git practices.
That is the TL;DR version. Below is a more in-depth look at what makes it stand out.
1. Written in Go for Better Performance
At its heart, git-flow-next is a complete rebuild using Go. This choice ensures exceptional reliability, resource efficiency, and provides a highly responsive experience.
Go's concurrent capabilities and strong type system contribute to a remarkably stable and predictable tool, while its efficient compilation delivers impressive performance.
This modern architecture guarantees git-flow-next can evolve alongside the dynamic world of software development and Git.
2. Improved Conflict Resolution
Merge conflicts are an unavoidable reality in collaborative projects.
While Git's core merge mechanism remains intact, git-flow-next offers more intuitive strategies and clear instructions during the resolution process, enabling teams to navigate merges with newfound confidence and minimal disruption.
3. Your Workflow, Your Way
Understanding that no two development teams are alike, git-flow-next offers unparalleled configuration flexibility. This is a big step compared to the conventional workflow imposed by the original git-flow model.
You can come up with your own branch naming conventions to match your team's preferences and current infrastructure. Beyond that, you can take control of merge strategies, fine-tuning how branches are integrated based on your project's unique needs.
This adaptability ensures git-flow-next fits perfectly into a wide spectrum of development workflows.
4. Smooth Adoption
Adopting new tools shouldn't force a complete overhaul. git-flow-next is meticulously crafted for full compatibility with your existing git-flow repositories.
You can effortlessly switch to git-flow-next without re-initializing repositories or disrupting your team's established processes. This backward compatibility guarantees a smooth adoption and empowers teams to incrementally embrace the advantages of git-flow-next.
5. Clear Guidance Through Any Hurdle
Not everyone is a Git nerd, and we're OK with that. git-flow-next prioritizes a frictionless developer experience by providing clear and actionable error messages.
When issues arise, the tool offers clear guidance and practical solutions for recovery, ensuring you spend less time troubleshooting and more time coding.
Get Started… and Get Involved!
We're incredibly enthusiastic about git-flow-next and believe it will become a great tool for developers seeking a modern, flexible approach to their Git workflows.
We encourage you to test it out and see for yourself! To get started, simply follow the installation steps in the official documentation.
As an open-source project, you can find the git-flow-next repository on GitHub. We'd love to see you contribute and take this project even further!
To stay updated on the latest git-flow-next and Tower releases, be sure to sign up for our newsletter below and follow Tower on Twitter / X and LinkedIn! ✌️
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