Git Workflow - An Update

Now that Drupal have moved from CVS to the git versioning system, I realised that my github workflow can get even more of a workout and is doubly useful to me as I can now use it for Drupal contributions as well. The previous workflow is here: Github Workflow.

There are only a couple of differences between using Drupal's git and github.

1. The url I will be cloning from and pushing to
2. The fact that I more often that not be creating a patch to provide the issue queue.

Obviously this means that workflow will have to change slightly, so I'll do a new one here just for Drupal patches.

Step 0: Get the project information from drupal.org

Go to the project (drupal.org/project/) you are planning on making a patch for and take a note of a couple of things. Right underneath the page title which should be the project name, you will find a link that says Git instructions follow that and then choose the version of the project you wil be updating. It should look similar to 7.x-1.x. That will update the page and give you your clone url.

Step 1. Setting up a local copy of the project (Do this first time only)

git clone --branch [version] http://git.drupal.org/project/[project_name].git

Step 1a. If there is a branch saved to github - now redundant as the branch gets pulled and tracked during the clone

Step 2. Ensuring you have the latest code changes (Usual starting point)

git branch -a

git checkout [version]

git pull

Step 3. Create a safe place to work locally

git branch [local_branchName] - Drupal.org seem to be recommending that you use the issue number and a short description

Step 4. Move to the safe haven

git checkout [local_branchName]

Step 3&4 Combined. You can now combine steps 3&4 into one quicker step

git checkout -b [issue-number]-[short description]

Step 5. Do some work

Step 6. Log any new files created

git add .

Step 7. Log any changes to existing files

git commit -am "[Your comments]"

Again Drupal has some recommendations about comment formatting. It should be: "Issue #[issue number] by [comma-separated usernames]: [Short summary of the change]."

Step 8. Flip into the branch for the version you are working to

git checkout [version]

Step 9. Check the master records are up to date

git pull

git checkout [local_branchName]

Step 8&9 combined. Another different step to the original article that replaces the last 2 steps

git fetch origin

git rebase origin/[version]

Step 10. Do this only if new changes have been pulled through otherwise skip to Step 14.

Step 11. Bring the new changes into your local safe haven

git merge [version]

Step 12. Only If git reports any conflicts do this

git mergetool

&

git commit -am "[A new comment]"

Step 13. Go back to Step 8.

Step 14. It's at this point things get very different. For Drupal I will be mostly creating patches which I will then upload to drupal.org

git diff origin/[version] > [description]-[issue-number]-[comment-number].patch

Step 15. Upload to the issue queue and mark the issue as "needs review"

Step 16. Remove your temporary workspace

git checkout [version]

git branch -d [local_branchName]