Leveling Up Your git Workflow
Code4Lib 2015
Megan Kudzia
Kate Sears
Albion College Library
We git, and so can you
- How and why we started
- Biggest mistakes
- Things we did right
- Things we did wrong
- Cleanup
- Other thoughts
Why and how we started using git
- We wanted:
- A better code approval process
- Access to our code from anywhere
- To learn new things on an 'easy' project
- Megan started a repo in late spring
- Added Kate when she got back in the fall
Defining the scope
- Website redesign
- Wordpress child theme
- Incorporated LESS CSS
- Start a fresh project with git!
What went wrong
Conceptually
- We looked for an easy way through
- Workflow/terminology confusion
Specifically
- Creating a branch and not checking it out
- Not waiting for the GUI to refresh properly after changes
- Sourcetree? GitK? Command line? What?
Things Kate did right/wrong
Right
- Made lots of commits, useful messages
- Shared work space and hours, so it was easy to address problems quickly
- Made heavy use of white boards and diagramming
Wrong
- Used distracting git GUI
- Our reaction to mistakes was to try again
Things Megan did right/wrong
Right
- Decided the best way to learn was to jump in
- Found a more-advanced buddy
Wrong
- Used distracting git GUI
- See Kate re:reaction to mistakes
- Made commits & decisions while tired, cranky
- Clung to the idea that git is easy
Brainstorming: yikes
Our initial workflow
Or, more yikes
Cleanup
- Learn new way to approach git
- @jessitron git happens talk
- think like a git
- Reconsider and re-do workflow
Lightbulb #1
We changed our thinking about git progression/directionality
Lightbulb #2
We learned about the graph/node thing.
This digressed into a huge "arrrgh MATH" conversation, but fear not!
Continuing cleanup
Explain your process with and without git-speak
- Move (checkout) master to beginning of filter-branch
- Use git filter-branch to remove extra files
- Not all files that are here need to be here
- Push (results in merge commit that doesn't point at anything yet)
- Garbage collect
- Push again
- Rebase for conciseness and clarity of tree
The Cleanup Process
What we're doing now:
Other Thoughts
- Git is hierarchy-less; use workflow
- Be willing to iterate
- Approach rebase with caution, not dread
- You probably have to make mistakes to learn git
- Work in a team
- Use the command line
- Confusion is normal!
- Don't git when tired/cranky
Thanks!
Questions?
- @mkudzia, kudzia.megan@gmail.com
- @KSears16
Leveling Up Your Git Workflow
By Megan Kudzia
Leveling Up Your Git Workflow
Moving from a one-person git workflow to a multi-person workflow with a hierarchical structure.
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