1. Branching Strategies for Web Development: Functionality vs. Content
C. Thomas Tyler
Go2Group
© 2004 IBM Corporation

2. Branching Strategies for Web Development: Functionality vs. Content
Agenda
Traditional SCM Problems and Solutions -- a Review
Common Branching Paradigm for Web Development
Modern Solutions: Branching & Merging with Tools
Web Development -- Changes to SCM Challenges
Web Development Solutions

3. $ Review of Traditional SCM Problems & Solutions
Need for Branching Strategies
Need to Maintain Multiple Old Releases
Need for Effective Concurrent Development
Isolation & Integration
Change Propagation
Dev $
Resource Optimization QA
UAT

4. Prehistoric Solutions:
Floppy Disks
Pens
“Yellow Stickies”

5. Main (Initial Baseline)
Modern Solutions: Branching & Merging with Tools
Main (Initial Baseline)
Project B
R1.0-Maint
Branch (Copy)
Branch (Copy)
1.0
Project A
Merge (Integrate)
Dev
1.1
1.0.1
Branch (Copy)
Dev
Initial QA QA
Merge (Integrate)
Merge (Integrate)
1.0.3
1.5
Merge (Integrate)
Integration & QA
Project C
R2.0-Maint
Branch (Copy)
2.0
UAT
2.2
Support Dropped

6. Main (Initial Baseline)
Modern Solutions: Rational ClearCase CS Samples
Main (Initial Baseline)
Project B
R1.0-Maint
Branch (Copy)
1.0
Merge (Integrate)
1.1
1.0.1
element * CHECKEDOUT
element * /main/ProjB/LATEST
element * REL1.0 –mkbranch ProjB
element * /main/LATEST –mkbranch ProjB
element * CHECKEDOUT
element * /main/R1.0-Maint/LATEST
element * REL1.0 –mkbranch R1.0-Maint
element * /main/LATEST –mkbranch R1.0-Maint
element * CHECKEDOUT
element * /main/LATEST

7. Branching & Merging Strategies
Branching Patterns
Infrastructure Changes
Isolation vs. Dynamic Update
Release Maintenance
Concurrent Development
3rd Party Source Code
Integration
Branch Per Bug/
Tracked Issue
Project-Oriented Branching

8. Changes to SCM Challenges
Web Development
Changes to SCM Challenges
Old Releases? What are they?
Hosted Applications vs. Packaged & Shipped Software
Need to Work Well with Automated Workflow Mindset
Requirements Managed and Tracked
Enhancements and Bugs Managed and Tracked
Branch Strategy Works in context of Integrated Tool Solutions

9. Changes to SCM Challenges
Web Development (Continued)
Changes to SCM Challenges
Branching Requirements
Deliver Well-Tested Functionality in Scheduled Releases
Deliver Constant Content Changes
Need to Rethink the Risk Proposition

10. Changes to SCM Challenges (Cont’d)
Web Development
Changes to SCM Challenges (Cont’d)
More Concurrent Development
Less hierarchical systems (more component-based)
SCM-Savvy Workforce
Better Object reuse, etc.
Need for Fast Pace of Delivery (the “Me Too” Requirement)

11. Web Development Solutions
Common Branching Paradigm: Project-Oriented Branching (A variant of the Mainline Model)
Two Paths to Production Pr
Production
tion

12. Main (Initial Baseline)
Project-Oriented Branching – Traditional
Main (Initial Baseline)
Project B
R1.0-Maint
Branch (Copy)
Branch (Copy)
1.0
Project A
Merge (Integrate)
Dev
1.1
1.0.1
Branch (Copy)
Dev
Initial QA QA
Merge (Integrate)
Merge (Integrate)
1.0.3
1.5
Merge (Integrate)
Integration & QA
Project C
R2.0-Maint
Branch (Copy)
2.0
UAT
2.2
Support Dropped

13. Project-Oriented Branching – Hosted Production
Main (Initial Baseline)
Project A
Production (Hosted Applications)
Project B
Dev
Dev
Production
Hot Fix
Initial QA QA
Regularly Scheduled Integration (Early & Often)
Integration & QA
Project C
UAT

14. Two Paths to Production
Rethinking the Risk Proposition
… Failure just Might be an Option

15. Two Paths to Production Content vs. Functionality
“Content” – Articles, Polls, Surveys, Look & Feel Changes Either JSP, ASP, HTML or Commodity Code
Doesn’t need QA beyond “Buddy System Checks”
“Functionality” – Everything more complicated than “Content”
Requires Rigorous QA Testing and Formal Release Process

16. Project-Oriented Branching – Two Paths
Main (Initial Baseline)
Project A
Production (Hosted Applications)
Project B
Refresh Merge
(Content)
Dev
Dev
Production
Hot Fix
Initial QA
Refresh Merge
(Content) QA
Code Freeze for Affected Content
Regularly Scheduled Integration (Early & Often)
Integration & QA
Project C
Refresh Merge
(Content)
Code Freeze for Affected Content
UAT
Code Freeze for Affected Content

17. Branching Strategies for Web Development: Functionality vs. Content
Presentation Review
Traditional SCM Problems and Solutions
Common Branching Paradigm for Web Development
Modern Solutions: Branching & Merging with Tools
Web Development -- Changes to SCM Challenges
Web Development Solutions -- Project-Oriented Branching Two Paths to Production
Modern Solutions: Branching & Merging with Tools Web Development -- Changes to SCM Challenges Web Development Solutions -- Project-Oriented Branching Two Paths to Production

18. QUESTIONS

19. Thank You
C. Thomas Tyler
Go2Group