Using Git to merge all changes from a feature branch during development into a release branch

According to the Git Flow model, you missed the train

Your repo should look something like this:

o - o - o - o - o - o [master]
 \
  \       o - o - o - o - o [release]
   \     / 
    o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o [develop]
                 \       \       \         /
                  o - o - o - o - o - o - o [feature]

      

        
        
        
      

    

However, if you and your team are really following the Git Flow model, I have bad news for you: the ship sailed. In particular, it is too late for you to include features from your branch feature

(now also in develop

) into the branch release

. It just isn't allowed by Git Flow.

If you look at the next part of the main nvie.com , you can see that after the release branch is created, it is not allowed to receive anything from develop

, let alone any feature branch. The sole purpose of the release branch is to stabilize / consolidate towards the actual release, i.e. Merging into master

.

If you really stick with the Git flow model, you should

• either abandon the current branch release
  
  and create a new one outgoing from the tip develop
  
  ,
• or freeze all work on release
  
  and then reinstall it on develop
  
  before resuming work on it,
• or wait for the next version to include your new features in release.

If you are ok not sticking with Git Flow ...

If you're willing to go against the Git stream on this, you can always use your functions in release

without polluting it out of the latest stuff develop

. The downside to this approach is that your history will be a little messy and will contain "duplicate commits"; but I don't think you have much choice if you really insist on including your features from branch feature

to the current / active version.

For convenience, let's say your repo looks like this (I've labeled multiple commits with letters):

o - o - o - o - o - o [master]
 \
  \       o - o - o - o - o [release]
   \     / 
    o - A - B - C - o - o - o - o - o - o - o [develop]
                 \       \       \         /
                  D - E - F - G - H - I - J [feature]

      

        
        
        
      

    

What can you do is

• Departure release
  
  

  git checkout release
  
        
  
          
          
          
        
  
      

• Get a list of all revisions that were not a merge, between commit A and the end feature
  
  ; in this case it would be bit B, C, D, E, G, I and J. Command

  git rev-list --no-merges A..feature
  
        
  
          
          
          
        
  
      

  should do it for you.

• Pass this changelog in cherry-pick
  
  to apply the changes made by those commits on top release
  
  :

  git cherry-pick `git rev-list --no-merges A..feature`
  
        
  
          
          
          
        
  
      

  You end up with something like this:

  o - o - o - o - o - o [master]
   \
    \         o - o - o - o - o - B'- C'- D'- E'- G'- I'- J' [HEAD=release]
     \       /                                            
      \     /                                             
       o - A - B - C - o - o - o - o - o - o - o [develop]
                    \       \       \         /         
                     D - E - F - G - H - I - J [feature]
  
        
  
          
          
          
        
  
      

• Stabilize the branch release
  
  .

• After release
  
  click master
  
  , you also have to merge it in develop
  
  , and you have to get back on your feet.