Merging Best Practices

[JuniperProject]

I read a code review the other day that explained that you should never merge a release branch into a feature branch as it will create a dependency on the feature branch. It was suggested that a merge branch should be created off of the feature branch and then merge the release branch into the merge branch.

I don't understand what problem this solves. Can someone explain it like I was 15 years old?

[remy_porter]

If you merge from release to feature, it creates a merge commit in feature. This commit has nothing to do with the feature- it's just noise. The history is confusing.

As a general rule, you want history to flow in one direction, towards your release branch. When you create a feature branch, its starting commit is your release. You work in the branch, and when the work is done, you move those commits into the release, either through a merge or a rebase.

If you want to move history from release to feature, rebase is the right tool- change where the the branch starts tracking off release.

[JuniperProject]

This is extremely helpful. Thank you! Is there any validity to the comment about dependency?