Hello Git Developers, After years of developing software with my own modest versioning system, I've now successfully integrated its core principles with Git. This new workflow has been refined through extensive thought, problem-solving, and consultation. Thanks to assistance from an AI, I believe I can now express these ideas more clearly, making them understandable not only to other humans but potentially to other AI systems as well. The core ideas behind this workflow are: * **Preserving all valuable work:** We never delete anything, ensuring a complete and unalterable history. * **Intentional development:** Each new coding session or task starts with a new, incremented version, clearly defining its objective. * **Full historical traceability:** The workflow provides a comprehensive development trail, making every step of the project's evolution visible. * **"Time-travel" capabilities:** It allows developers to easily revisit past code to fix or examine bugs, understand historical implementations, explore "what-if" scenarios, or even salvage previous work, however rare that need may be. The workflow also includes a unique "Back to the Future" command combo, designed to streamline the process of taking code from a historical point and bringing it forward for modern integration—a powerful feature for revisiting old ideas. My motivation for sharing this workflow with the Git mailing list is threefold: * **Seek Feedback:** I aim to gather constructive feedback and insights on these ideas from experienced Git developers. * **Highlight Windows Compatibility Challenges:** I want to discuss the difficulties of implementing such rich custom commands natively on Windows (outside of Git Bash). While Bash scripts can achieve this, it would be beneficial if Git itself could offer easier pathways for complex, multi-step operations on Windows. * **Inspire Future Git Features:** I hope these concepts might inspire the Git project to explore new directions or implement features that would make workflows like this easier to achieve and adopt universally. While this workflow is still in its initial testing phase, I firmly believe in its value and potential. I plan to rigorously test it further in the coming days, preferably in a native Windows environment if possible, though Git Bash remains an option. Below, you'll find the full document detailing the "Skybuck's Git Workflow: Permanent History & Controlled Evolution." ----- ### Skybuck's Git Workflow Document: Permanent History & Controlled Evolution This workflow is designed for projects that prioritize an **uninterrupted, permanently traceable history** of all development efforts, where **no active development branch is ever truly deleted**. It combines a robust branching strategy with a custom set of Git commands (implemented as aliases or scripts) to manage branch lifecycle status through tags. ### 1. Core Principles * **History is Beautiful & Permanent:** Once a commit or branch is pushed, it remains in the repository forever. There is no `git push --delete` on core contribution branches. * **No Accidental Data Loss:** The risk of human error (typos leading to deletion of valuable work) is virtually eliminated. Critical operations are abstracted into safer commands. * **Personal Continuity:** Developers maintain their own sequentially numbered "contribution" branches, providing a clear personal history of their work, regardless of `master`'s evolution. * **Explicit Branch Status:** Tags are used to clearly denote the lifecycle stage of each contribution branch (active, merged, rejected). * **Controlled Integration:** `master` remains the authoritative source, and new work always ideally branches from the latest `master` for smoother integration. * **Time-Travel & Exploration:** The workflow allows for easy branching from any historical point to revisit or revive past ideas. ### 2. Branching Strategy * **`master` Branch:** * The single, authoritative main branch representing the stable, production-ready (or near-production-ready) state of the project. * All new development branches should ideally originate from the latest `master`. * Only `merged` contribution branches are integrated into `master`. * **`UserPrefixContributionNNN-Description` Branches:** * These are the primary development branches for individual contributors. * Each new significant piece of work by a user gets a new, sequentially numbered branch (e.g., `SkybuckContribution001-ImplementLogin`, `AI0001Contribution002-RefactorDatabase`). * The `NNN` (e.g., `001`, `002`) provides a clear personal sequence of contributions for the developer. * These branches are never deleted from the remote. ### 3. Role of Tags for Branch Lifecycle Management Instead of deleting branches, tags are extensively used to denote the *status* of a `UserPrefixContribution` branch. * **`active/<branchname>`:** Indicates a branch is currently under development, active review, or active re-evaluation. * **`merged/<branchname>`:** Indicates a branch has been successfully integrated (merged) into the `master` branch. The branch itself persists, but this tag marks its completion and successful integration. * **`rejected/<branchname>`:** Indicates a branch was reviewed but will not be merged into `master` (e.g., due to design decision, incompleteness, or being superseded). The branch itself persists, but this tag marks its final non-integrated status. ### 4. Custom Git Commands (Implemented as Aliases/Scripts) These commands encapsulate the workflow logic, providing a high-level, safe, and intuitive interface for developers. ----- #### 4.1. `git NewContribution <UserPrefix> <Description/Goal>` * **Purpose:** To initiate a brand new development effort from the latest `master`. This is the primary command for starting most new features or fixes. * **Action:** 1. Fetches and checks out the latest `master`. 2. Determines the next sequential `ContributionNumber` (e.g., `001`, `002`) for the given `<UserPrefix>` by inspecting existing branches or tags. 3. Constructs the full `new_branch_name` (e.g., `SkybuckContribution003-ImplementFeatureX`). 4. Creates and pushes this `new_branch_name` to the remote. 5. Automatically calls `git SetActive <new_branch_name>` to mark it as active. * **Example Usage:** `git NewContribution Skybuck "User profile management"` ----- #### 4.2. `git SetActive <branchname>` * **Purpose:** To explicitly mark an existing contribution branch as currently active or in progress. * **Action:** 1. Validates that `<branchname>` exists. 2. Creates a tag `active/<branchname>` pointing to the current HEAD of `<branchname>`. 3. Pushes this tag to the remote. * **Example Usage:** `git SetActive SkybuckContribution003-ImplementFeatureX` ----- #### 4.3. `git SetMerged <branchname>` * **Purpose:** To mark a contribution branch as successfully merged into `master`. * **Action:** 1. Validates that `<branchname>` exists. 2. **Safely deletes** the remote tag `active/<branchname>` (if it exists). 3. Creates a tag `merged/<branchname>` pointing to the current HEAD of `<branchname>`. 4. Pushes this new `merged` tag to the remote. * **Example Usage:** `git SetMerged SkybuckContribution003-FeatureX` ----- #### 4.4. `git SetRejected <branchname>` * **Purpose:** To mark a contribution branch as not being integrated into `master`. * **Action:** 1. Validates that `<branchname>` exists. 2. **Safely deletes** the remote tag `active/<branchname>` (if it exists). 3. Creates a tag `rejected/<branchname>` pointing to the current HEAD of `<branchname>`. 4. Pushes this new `rejected` tag to the remote. * **Example Usage:** `git SetRejected AI0001Contribution002-ExperimentalAlgorithm` ----- #### 4.5. `git SetRevive <branchname>` * **Purpose:** To "re-activate" an *existing* contribution branch that was previously marked as `merged` or `rejected`. This is for continuing work on the *same branch*, in its original historical context, by simply changing its status tags. * **Action:** 1. Validates that `<branchname>` exists and currently has a `merged/<branchname>` or `rejected/<branchname>` tag. 2. **Safely deletes** the remote `merged/<branchname>` or `rejected/<branchname>` tag. 3. Calls `git SetActive <branchname>` to re-apply the `active/` tag. * **Use Case:** A feature was merged, but then the merge had to be reverted on `master`, and development needs to continue on the original feature branch. Or, a rejected idea is reconsidered for direct continuation. * **Important Note:** This does NOT rebase the branch onto `master`. The branch will remain based on its original ancestor, potentially creating significant divergence from the current `master`. Integration of subsequent work would be handled manually. * **Example Usage:** `git SetRevive SkybuckContribution005-BugfixRethink` ----- ### 5. **The "Back to the Future" Combo: `git BackTo` and `git TheFuture`** This is a two-command sequence designed for bringing historical code (from an old tag) forward to align with, or be evaluated against, the current state of the `master` branch. It separates the act of creating a branch from old code, from the potentially interactive process of modernizing it. #### 5.1. **Stage 1: `git BackTo <tagname_of_old_commit> <new_branch_description>`** * **Purpose:** This is your initial "time-travel" command. Its job is to create a **brand new, clean development branch** that starts *exactly* at the historical commit pointed to by your chosen tag. It isolates this old code, giving you a fresh workspace. * **Action:** 1. **Validates Input:** Ensures the provided `<tagname_of_old_commit>` exists and you've given a `<new_branch_description>`. 2. **Generates New Branch Name:** Following your `UserPrefixContributionNNN` convention, it determines the next available sequence number for your user and creates a name like `UserPrefixContribution<NextNumber>-<description>`. 3. **Creates Local Branch:** It checks out the specific commit from the past and creates your `new_branch_name` at that exact point. 4. **Pushes to Remote:** Your newly created historical branch is immediately pushed to the remote for backup and visibility. 5. **Sets Active Status:** It automatically calls `git SetActive <new_branch_name>`, immediately marking this new branch as `active/` in your repository's status tracking system. * **Use Case (Initial Step):** You want to pick up an idea from `merged/AI0001Contribution007-OldAPIDesign` and start a *new, separate* development line (`AI0001Contribution008-Re-evaluateV1APIForPerformance`) based on that exact historical code. ```bash git BackTo merged/AI0001Contribution007-OldAPIDesign "Re-evaluate V1 API for performance" # This creates branch AI0001Contribution008-Re-evaluateV1APIForPerformance, # and sets it active. You are now working on code from that old point in time. ``` * **Important Note (Initial State):** The new branch created by `git BackTo` is *not* automatically updated with the current `master` branch's changes. It's truly a snapshot of the past. #### 5.2. **Stage 2: `git TheFuture` (or `git TheFutureRebase`)** * **Purpose:** This command is the "modernization" step. Once you're on a branch (often one created by `git BackTo`) that you want to bring up to date with the latest `master`, `git TheFuture` initiates the rebase process. * **Action:** 1. **Context Check:** Validates that you are currently on a branch and not in a detached HEAD state. 2. **Master Update:** Ensures your local `master` branch is up-to-date with the remote `master` (and may prompt you to pull if not). 3. **Initiates Rebase:** Executes `git rebase master`. This attempts to reapply each of your current branch's commits (which started from an old point) sequentially on top of the latest `master`. 4. **Crucial: User Intervention for Conflicts:** **This is where human input is vital.** If Git encounters any conflicts, `git TheFuture` will pause. It will then provide you with clear instructions on how to manually resolve these conflicts (e.g., `git add .` and `git rebase --continue`) or how to abort the rebase (`git rebase --abort`). The script cannot resolve conflicts for you; human decision is required. 5. **Completion Guidance:** Once the rebase successfully completes (or is aborted by you), the command provides guidance on how to push your now-modernized branch to the remote (`git push --force-with-lease` is often required after a rebase). * **Use Case (Subsequent Step):** After running `git BackTo` and making some initial experiments on `AI0001Contribution008-Re-evaluateV1APIForPerformance`, you decide you want to bring these changes forward and integrate them into the current project. ```bash # (Assuming you are on branch AI0001Contribution008-Re-evaluateV1APIForPerformance) git TheFuture # Git will now walk you through any conflicts as it replays your commits on top of master. # Once done, you'd push your changes and propose a merge request to master. ``` ----- ### 6. Typical Workflow Flow (Example: New Feature Development) 1. **Start New Work:** `git NewContribution Skybuck "Implement dark mode"` * Creates `SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode` and sets it `active/`. 2. **Develop:** Work on `SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode`, making commits. Push regularly. 3. **Keep Updated (Optional/Periodic):** If `master` has changed significantly, `git checkout SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode` then `git TheFuture` to rebase onto `master`. Resolve any conflicts. 4. **Ready for Review:** Create a Pull Request from `SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode` to `master`. 5. **After Review (Accepted):** Once merged into `master`, the maintainer or CI/CD runs: `git SetMerged SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode`. * Removes `active/` tag, adds `merged/` tag. `SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode` branch remains forever. 6. **After Review (Rejected):** If rejected: `git SetRejected SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode`. * Removes `active/` tag, adds `rejected/` tag. `SkybuckContribution001-ImplementDarkMode` branch remains forever. ### 7. Addressing Key Concerns with this Workflow * **Branch Sprawl:** Mitigated by `active/`, `merged/`, `rejected/` tags. While branches persist, their status tags allow for filtering and clear identification of what's ongoing vs. historical, making the branch list manageable through tooling. * **Deletion Risk:** Eliminated. No core contribution branch is ever deleted. Commands like `SetMerged` or `SetRejected` safely manage *tags* instead of branches, preventing accidental data loss due to typos. * **Personal Continuity:** Fully supported by the `UserPrefixContributionNNN` naming and permanent branches, giving each developer a clear, sequential record of their contributions. * **Clarity:** The distinct command names and tag prefixes clearly communicate the intent and status of all development efforts. This workflow provides a robust, transparent, and developer-friendly way to manage complex projects while adhering to strong principles of historical integrity. Best regards, Skybuck Flying skybuck2000@xxxxxxxxxxx
