Git Branch Strategy
Overview
Use this skill to design a branch model that teams can operate consistently under normal delivery and incident pressure.
Scope Boundaries
- Use this skill when the task matches the trigger condition described in
description. - Do not use this skill when the primary task falls outside this skill's domain.
Shared References
- Existing governance baseline:
references/git-governance-contract.md
- Topology decision guidance:
references/branch-topology-decision-rules.md
Templates And Assets
- Branch policy template:
assets/branch-policy-template.md
- Branch protection checklist:
assets/branch-protection-checklist.md
Inputs To Gather
- Team size, collaboration style, and review ownership model.
- Release cadence, hotfix urgency expectations, and support windows.
- Branch protection capabilities on the hosting platform.
- Current pain points (long-lived drift, merge conflicts, unclear ownership).
Deliverables
- Branch class policy with creation/deletion/merge rules.
- Protection rules mapped to branch criticality.
- PR synchronization policy by branch class.
- Operational guidance for hotfix and release scenarios.
Workflow
- Define branch classes and responsibilities in
assets/branch-policy-template.md. - Choose topology using
references/branch-topology-decision-rules.md. - Set merge direction and sync policy per branch class.
- Configure protection and verify with
assets/branch-protection-checklist.md. - Publish policy with concrete examples for common workflows.
Quality Standard
- Branch classes are minimal, non-overlapping, and enforceable.
- Protection rigor matches branch risk (stable > release > feature).
- Merge/sync strategy is clear enough to avoid per-PR ambiguity.
- Hotfix path is explicit and does not bypass traceability.
Failure Conditions
- Stop when branch classes overlap without clear operational purpose.
- Stop when policy requires controls that the hosting platform cannot enforce.
- Escalate when hotfix process conflicts with protection and compliance requirements.