Getting Started with Modular Boost Library Development Workflow

Workflow is the term used to describe the steps a Boost library developer follows to create and maintain a library. The workflow model Boost recommends is nowadays called Git Flow. It was introduced as a simple ​blog posting by Vincent Driessen on January 5th, 2010, that went viral and has quickly become a de facto standard software engineering practice.

This workflow has arguably become so successful because it scales really well, and that's one of the reasons it is recommended for Boost libraries.

• An unusually simple, single developer library would have only the permanent develop and master branches that are required for all Boost libraries.
• A more typical library would occasionally add temporary feature branches, either private or public. Feature branch names follow the feature/x model, where x names the specific feature being developed.
• A larger library, particularly if it has multiple developers, would always have some active public feature branches, and at least occasionally employ release staging branches and hotfix branches. Individual developers would often use private branches.

The Git Flow model diagram is available as a ​PDF file - print it out and hang it on your wall!

For those who use Git from the command line, ​git-flow command line tools are available to automate common operations. See ​git-flow wiki for more information.