The Strategy Question
When teams grow beyond one or two developers, chaos often begins. Everyone pushes randomly, features clash, and production breaks. That is when the question comes up: what Git strategy should we use? Over the years I have worked with Git Flow, GitHub Flow, and Trunk-Based Development. Each one works, but only if you use it in the right context. Let’s explore them and see what makes sense today.
1. Git Flow
Git Flow is the classic strategy. It uses multiple long-lived branches like main, develop, feature, release, and hotfix. It is structured, detailed, and designed for complex projects.
# Example Git Flow commands
git checkout -b feature/login
git checkout develop
git merge feature/login
Pros: Clear structure, good for big projects with multiple release cycles.
Cons: Heavy, lots of branches to manage, not ideal for small teams.
2. GitHub Flow
GitHub Flow is simpler. Everything starts from main. Developers create short-lived feature branches, open pull requests, and merge quickly after review. This is the default strategy for many modern teams.
# GitHub Flow workflow
git checkout -b feature/api-endpoint
git push origin feature/api-endpoint
# Open a PR, review, merge into main
Pros: Lightweight, easy to adopt, fits continuous deployment.
Cons: Can feel too simple for very large or regulated projects.
3. Trunk-Based Development
Trunk-Based Development is even faster. Everyone commits to main (the trunk), or keeps branches extremely short-lived. Code is integrated daily, and automation (CI/CD) is heavily used.
# Work on small branches or directly on main
git checkout -b fix/button-style
git merge fix/button-style
Pros: Rapid integration, perfect for teams with strong automation.
Cons: Risky without proper testing pipelines, requires discipline.
Which Strategy Should You Use in 2025
- Small Teams or Startups: GitHub Flow keeps things simple and fast.
- Medium to Large Teams: Git Flow adds structure and is useful if you have multiple versions or release schedules.
- High-Performance Teams with CI/CD: Trunk-Based Development maximizes speed but demands strong testing and automation.
Benefits of Having a Strategy
- Clarity: Everyone knows where to commit and how to merge.
- Collaboration: Reduces conflicts and confusion.
- Confidence: Teams deploy with fewer mistakes.
- Scalability: The right strategy grows with your project.
Pro Tips From Experience
- Do not overcomplicate things. Choose the simplest strategy that fits your team size.
- Automate testing and deployment if you use GitHub Flow or Trunk-Based Development.
- Review your strategy every year. What worked for 2 developers may not work for 20.
- Document your workflow so new developers onboard easily.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Not having a strategy: Leads to chaos and broken production.
- Mixing strategies randomly: Confuses the team and causes merge disasters.
- Over-engineering for small projects: Do not use Git Flow if you are a solo developer.
The Reality Check
There is no single “best” Git strategy. The best one is the one that fits your team, your project size, and your deployment style. Beginners should start with GitHub Flow, larger teams may need Git Flow, and advanced teams with CI/CD can thrive on Trunk-Based Development. What matters most is that everyone agrees and follows the same rules. Strategy is not about rules for rules’ sake, it is about saving time, reducing stress, and delivering code safely.
In 2025, Git is not just about version control, it is about team culture. Choose wisely, and your strategy will carry your team to success.