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In Git, a tag is a snapshot of the entire repository at a specific point in time. In some version control systems, a tag or label is a collection that can contain various files in the tree, even files at different versions.
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In a Git repository, branches include the entire repository, so a 1:1 translation is difficult. For example, the main branch might be a folder named /trunk, and other branches are folders like /branch/one and /branch/two. In most centralized version control systems, branches exist as folders in the repository. However, this mapping has some serious limitations. A Git commit appears to map relatively well to the changeset or check-in model that the previous version control tool used. Several tools claim to migrate a complete history of all branches from a centralized tool to Git. Teams might be tempted to migrate their existing source code history to Git. Whether they use feature branches or feature flags, teams should document the mapping between legacy branches and new Git branches, so everyone understands where to commit their new work. Using feature flags simplifies migration by minimizing the number of branches to migrate. Teams that currently use a long-lived feature branch strategy can adopt feature flags before migrating to Git. By using modern CD techniques like feature flags, teams can integrate code into the main branch quickly, but still keep in-progress features hidden from users until they're complete. Git discourages long-lived, isolated feature branches, which tend to delay merges until integration becomes difficult. Two common topic branch strategies are GitFlow and a simpler variation, GitHub Flow. In Git, short-lived topic branches allow developers to work close to the main branch and integrate quickly, avoiding merge problems. Changing version control tools requires deployment process changes, so a migration is a good time to adopt a modern release pipeline.īefore migrating code, the team should select a branching strategy.
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Code reviews complement the CI workflow.Ĭontinuous delivery (CD) to automate deployment processes. In the Git branching model, pull request code review is part of the development process. Required code reviews before checking in code. CI helps identify defects early and provides a strong safety net for projects. Teams should consider adopting the following practices as they migrate to the new system:Ĭontinuous integration (CI), where every check-in triggers a build and test pass. This disruption can be an opportunity to improve other aspects of the DevOps process.
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Decide whether and how to migrate history.
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Steps for successful migrationįor a successful migration, teams should: This experience has produced the following guidance based on practices that consistently succeed. Microsoft has helped migrate many internal teams and customers from centralized version control systems to Git. Planning and implementing a successful migration to Git from a centralized version control system requires understanding these fundamental differences. To support distributed development, Git stores file history and branch information differently than a centralized version control system. Migrating a team to Git from centralized version control requires more than just learning new commands.
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