git-utilities/FEATURE.md

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Feature utility

Usage

This utility is built around the standard branch master and branches for releases that follow the format of MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH.

Feature branches have specific format: USER-BASE-FEATURE.

• USER is the username as specified by the USER environment variable
• BASE is the standard branch or release branch to base the feature branch on
• FEATURE is the name of the feature

Start

To start a new feature, go to the standard branch or a release branch.

git checkout master

Use the start subcommand with a feature name.

feature start my new feature

For example, a new branch will be created called rkiel-master-my-new-feature

Commit

Use the commit subcommand to make it easier to write commit messages. No need to specify the -m parameter or wrapping the message in quotes. If you forget and pass in -m anyway, it will ignore it. For example,

feature commit this is a sample commit message
feature commit -m this is a sample commit message

generates the command git commit -m "this is a sample commit message".

The commit message will be prepended with the feature name. For example,

my-feature-name: this is a sample commit message

If you need to by-pass any git pre-commit hooks, you can use the -f option to force the commit. This will invoke the commit with the --no-verify option. It will also add (no-verify) to the end of your commit message. For example,

feature commit -f this is a sample commit message
feature commit -m this is a sample commit message -f

generates the command git commit -m "this is a sample commit message (no-verify)" --no-verify.

Rebase

Use the rebase subcommand to pull down any changes from the standard branch and then rebase with your feature branch changes. In addition, a backup copy of your feature changes will be pushed out to origin. This backup should not be used to collaborate with others. It is just a personal backup and will be deleted and recreated with each rebase.

feature rebase

For example, rkiel-master-my-new-feature will be pushed out to origin.

Merge

Use the merge subcommand to merge your feature branch changes to the standard branch.

feature merge

You can also override the default standard branch by specifying another branch.

feature merge integration

End

Use the end subcommand to safely close out the feature. The standard branch will be checkout and the local feature branch will be deleted. This command will fail if you have not merged your changes. If successful and there is a backup copy on origin, it will also be removed.

feature end

Trash

Use the trash subcommand to forcibly close out the feature. The standard branch will be checkout and the local feature branch will be forcibly deleted. Make sure that your changes have been merged because they will be lost. If there is a backup copy on origin, it will also be removed. You must supply the name of the local feature branch on the command line as a confirmation.

feature trash local-branch-confirmation