Assess your knowledge of essential Git workflow strategies, focusing on the roles and purposes of feature, release, and hotfix branches. This quiz helps reinforce branching concepts, best practices, and scenarios commonly encountered in collaborative software development.
In a typical Git workflow, which branch is best used for developing a new feature or enhancement before it is integrated into the main codebase?
Explanation: The feature branch is specifically created for developing new features or enhancements, allowing for isolated work before integration. Hotfix branches are for urgent fixes that need immediate deployment, not prolonged feature development. The develop branch integrates completed features and prepares for releases but isn’t intended for individual development tasks. The main branch is reserved for stable, production-ready code and should not contain work-in-progress changes.
When a critical bug is discovered in the production version of an application, which branch should be created to address the issue quickly?
Explanation: A hotfix branch is designed to address urgent bugs found in the live application, enabling a fast fix and deployment. Feature branches are not intended for critical or urgent fixes. There is no standard branch called 'testing branch' in common workflows. Release branches are for preparing a new software version and stabilizing completed features but not for emergency bug fixes.
Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of a release branch in a Git workflow?
Explanation: Release branches are used to finalize the development cycle by stabilizing the code, fixing minor issues, and preparing documentation before a production release. They are not intended for holding experimental code, which would be handled on separate feature or experimental branches. Urgent bug fixes belong in hotfix branches, not release branches. The main branch acts as the repository for stable, production-ready code, not the release branch.
After completing a hotfix branch to resolve a production issue, which branches should you merge the changes into to maintain workflow consistency?
Explanation: Merging hotfix changes into both main and develop branches ensures that the fix is available in production and included in ongoing development. Merging only with a feature branch would not address the issue in production or ongoing development. Updating only the main or release branch would leave the development line inconsistent and potentially lead to regression during future merges.
At which stage should a feature branch typically be merged back into the main development line in a branching workflow?
Explanation: Merging a feature branch into develop upon completion integrates the new feature with other ongoing changes without affecting the stable production code. Merging immediately after creation or before writing code is ineffective since there are no changes to integrate. Merging after a release branch is deployed or into a hotfix branch does not follow standard workflow practices and could disrupt proper code stabilization and release processes.