Git Workflow (Git Flow)

🌱 Branching Model

We follow a structured Git Flow model, customised for versioning, feature isolation, and hotfix traceability.

🔁 Workflow Phases

🧱 1. Start a Feature

git checkout develop
git pull
git checkout -b feature/f10-currency-selection

• Keep commits atomic and scoped.
• Use conventional commit messages.

After development:

git push -u origin feature/f10-currency-selection

• Open a PR to develop, link the issue and request review.

🔃 2. Prepare a Release

git checkout develop
git pull
git checkout -b release/1.2.0

• Finalise version numbers (in gatepress.php, readme.txt, etc.)
• Complete CHANGELOG, fix edge bugs.

Merge into main:

git checkout main
git merge release/1.2.0
git tag -a v1.2.0 -m "Release v1.2.0: Adds PayPal integration + email fixes"
git push origin main --tags

Back-merge into develop:

git checkout develop
git merge main

🔥 3. Emergency Hotfix

git checkout main
git pull
git checkout -b hotfix/fix-stripe-error

• Commit a minimal patch
• Merge into main, tag patch release (e.g., v1.2.1)
• Merge back into develop any support/* branches if needed

🛠 4. Support Branches

git checkout -b support/1.x v1.0.0

• Use for older versions still in use.
• Backport fixes or release v1.0.1, v1.0.2 from here.

✍️ Commit Message Convention (Conventional Commits)

Examples:

feat(payment): add currency selector for PayPal

fix(analytics): correct view counter reset logic

🪝 Git Hooks Path

Use a custom path for Git hooks:

.githooks/
├── pre-commit       # Lint PHP, run PHPCS
├── commit-msg       # Enforce Conventional Commits
├── pre-push         # Run tests

Enable it:

git config core.hooksPath .githooks/
chmod +x .githooks/*

🔖 Version Tagging Guidelines

• Major (v2.0.0): Breaking changes
• Minor (v1.1.0): New features
• Patch (v1.0.1): Fixes or hotfixes

Example:

git tag -a v1.2.0 -m "Release v1.2.0"
git push origin --tags

🔒 Recommended Protections (GitHub/GitLab)

🧩 Optional Automation & Tooling

📘 Example Release Checklist

• All features merged into develop
• Tests passed and reviewed
• Bump version.
• Generate README.txt, changelog
• Create and merge release/* → main
• Tag version (git tag -a vX.Y.Z)
• Merge main → develop
• Update documentation
• Upload the release.