Git Flow should have died years ago

TL;DR

Git Flow is outdated and causes unnecessary delays and complications for modern software teams. Long-lived branches and complex merges slow down delivery and increase risk. Switch to simpler workflows like GitHub Flow or Release Flow to speed up development and focus on delivering value.

9 February 2025
Written by Martin Hinshelwood
1 minute read
Practice DevOps Engineering Excellence
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Git Flow should have died years ago.

It was designed for packaged software, not modern software delivery. Yet, some teams still cling to it, drowning in:

  • Long-lived develop branches
  • Painful release/* merges
  • Endless hotfix/* chaos

Every merge is an opportunity for delay, conflict, and regression. Instead of focusing on delivering value, teams are stuck babysitting branches.

Switch to GitHub Flow or Release Flow and experience the difference. Merge small. Deploy continuously. Stop wasting time on a process that was obsolete a decade ago.

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