Use Git Properly in biGENIUS-X

biGENIUS fully supports Git-based collaboration, enabling teams to work efficiently, transparently, and in a structured way.

To keep development stable and consistent, it’s essential to follow a clear workflow.

This workflow is explained in the article Understand Git Workflow in biGENIUS-X.

Core Principle: Working with Feature Branches

Each user works in their own Feature Branch, which is created from the Main Branch.

This ensures that all changes are isolated and only merged into Main after proper review and approval.

Workflow:

1. Create a Feature or HotFix Branch:
   
   1. Always create:
      1. The Feature Branch from the Main
      2. The HotFix Branch from the Release Branch to correct
   2. Use a meaningful Branch name, so it’s clear which user story or feature is being implemented (e.g., feature/add-product-api or bugfix/fix-order-validation)
2. Implement the feature:
   
   1. Work on your assigned user story or bug fix in your Branch
   2. Keep Branches focused – one Branch per user story, feature, or bug fix
3. Create a Pull Request into Main:
   
   1. Once the work is complete, create a Pull Request (PR) into Main
   2. After review and approval, the Branch is merged into Main
4. Start the next feature:
   
   1. For the next task, create a new Feature Branch again from Main

Feature Branches should be short-lived and deleted after the Pull Request is completed.

Deployment and Releases

Feature Branches can be used for deployment to the development environment.

Once all relevant features are ready, a Release Branch should be created from Main.

This Release Branch can then be deployed to test and/or production.

Keeping Your Branch Up to Date

To stay aligned with the latest changes, regularly update your branch.

In biGENIUS-X, use “Rebase from main” to pull in the newest commits.

This ensures your branch is consistent with the current project state.

Handling Bugs

When a bug occurs, there are two recommended options:

Option 1: Fix from Main

Create a new Feature Branch from Main.

Implement the fix and merge it back into Main.

Afterwards, use cherry-pick (e.g. in Azure DevOps) to apply the fix to the Release Branch.

Option 2: Fix from Release

In biGENIUS, create a Hotfix Branch from the Release Branch.

Fix the issue and merge the hotfix back into the Release Branch.

Merge Conflicts

If a merge or rebase conflict occurs, resolve the conflict manually in your Git tool (e.g. VS Code).

Then validate your project in biGENIUS-X or using the VS Code biGENIUS-X Extension (via the Validate function).

If the validation fails, recheck and fix the merge conflict before continuing.

Key Takeaways

• Everyone works in their own Feature Branch for their assigned user story.
• After completion: Create a Pull Request into Main.
• Bugfixes must always be cherry-picked between Branches.
• Regularly rebase from Main to stay up to date.
• Resolve and validate merge conflicts before merging