# Gitflow

URL: https://softwaredictionary.org/terms/gitflow
Category: Version Control
Last updated: 2026-09-30

In short: Gitflow is a Git branching model that uses long-lived main and develop branches plus feature, release, and hotfix branches to manage scheduled releases.

## What is Gitflow?

Gitflow is a branching strategy that Vincent Driessen described in 2010 in a blog post titled 'A successful Git branching model'. It gives each kind of work its own type of branch, with strict rules about where the branch starts and where it merges back. The model was designed for software shipped as numbered versions on a schedule, such as desktop apps, mobile apps, and libraries.

Two branches live forever: `main` (originally `master`) holds only released code, with each release marked by a tag, and `develop` collects finished features for the next release. Feature branches start from `develop` and merge back into it; when enough features are ready, a release branch is cut from `develop` for final testing and version bumps, then merged into both `main` and `develop`. Urgent production fixes go on hotfix branches made from `main`, which are also merged into both.

Gitflow works like a publishing house: writers draft chapters separately in feature branches, an editor assembles the next edition in `develop`, a proofreading stage freezes it before printing in a release branch, and errata sheets fix printed copies right away as hotfixes. Optional command-line extensions offer shortcuts such as `git flow feature start`, but the model itself is just a naming and merging convention built on ordinary Git commands.

Gitflow is most often compared with trunk-based development, where everyone merges small changes into a single `main` branch at least daily. Gitflow's long-lived branches and batched releases add merge work and delay feedback, which fits poorly with continuous delivery, and in 2020 its author added a note recommending simpler workflows for web apps that are deployed continuously. It remains a reasonable fit for products that must support several released versions at once.

## Key takeaways

- Gitflow uses two permanent branches: `main` for released code and `develop` for upcoming work.
- Feature branches come from `develop`, release branches prepare a version, and hotfix branches patch production.
- Release and hotfix branches merge into both `main` and `develop`, and each release is tagged.
- It suits versioned, scheduled releases better than continuous deployment.
- Trunk-based development is the main lighter-weight alternative.

## Example: The Gitflow branch cycle with plain Git commands

```bash
# Start a feature from develop and merge it back when done
git switch -c feature/cart develop
git switch develop && git merge --no-ff feature/cart

# Cut a release branch, then merge it into main and back into develop
git switch -c release/1.4.0 develop
git switch main && git merge --no-ff release/1.4.0
git tag -a v1.4.0 -m "Release 1.4.0"
git switch develop && git merge --no-ff release/1.4.0

# Fix production with a hotfix branch made from main
git switch -c hotfix/1.4.1 main
git switch main && git merge --no-ff hotfix/1.4.1
git tag -a v1.4.1 -m "Hotfix 1.4.1"
git switch develop && git merge --no-ff hotfix/1.4.1
```

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Gitflow and trunk-based development?**

Gitflow keeps long-lived `main` and `develop` branches and moves work through feature, release, and hotfix branches in batches. Trunk-based development has one main branch that everyone merges small changes into continuously, which suits teams that deploy often.

**Is Gitflow still used?**

Yes, especially for products with versioned releases, such as mobile apps, installed software, and libraries that maintain older versions. Many web teams that deploy continuously have moved to simpler workflows with a single main branch and short-lived feature branches.

**What is the develop branch in Gitflow?**

`develop` is the integration branch where completed features are merged while they wait for the next release. `main` only receives code through release and hotfix branches, so it always reflects what is in production.

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