Controlling deployment flow

You can use features like Github's branch protections;

https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-protected-branches/about-protected-branches

Example Config

To ensure that development occurs only on the dev branch and to protect against accidental edits and pushes to the test and main branches, you can use GitHub's branch protection rules and enforce a pull request-based workflow. Here's how you can set it up:

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create and Push Branches:

   • Make sure you have dev, test, and main branches pushed to your GitHub repository.

2. Set Up Branch Protection Rules:

   • Go to your GitHub repository.

   • Navigate to Settings > Branches.

   • Under Branch protection rules, click Add rule.

3. Protect the test Branch:

   • Under Branch name pattern, enter test.

   • Check the following options:

     • Require pull request reviews before merging: This ensures that all changes must be reviewed before being merged.

     • Require status checks to pass before merging: Ensure that all CI checks pass before allowing a merge.

     • Include administrators: Apply these rules to administrators as well.

     • Restrict who can push to matching branches: Select specific people or teams who can push to the test branch directly. Typically, you'd restrict this to maintainers or a CI/CD system.

   • Click Create or Save changes.

4. Protect the main Branch:

   • Repeat the same steps for the main branch.

5. Workflow for Merging Branches:

   • Ensure that merges from dev to test and test to main are done through pull requests (PRs).

Detailed Steps in GitHub

1. Navigate to Branch Protection Rules:

   • Go to your repository's Settings.

   • Click on Branches in the left sidebar.

   • Click on Add rule.

2. Set Up Protection for test:

   • Enter test in the Branch name pattern field.

   • Select the following protection settings:

     • Require pull request reviews before merging: Set the number of required reviewers.

     • Require status checks to pass before merging: Select the status checks that must pass before merging.

     • Restrict who can push to matching branches: Add the specific users or teams allowed to push directly (if any).

   • Click Create or Save changes.

3. Set Up Protection for main:

   • Enter main in the Branch name pattern field.

   • Select the same protection settings as for test.

Example of Branch Protection Rule

Here's an example of what the settings might look like for the test branch:

• Branch name pattern: test

• Require pull request reviews before merging:

  • Require pull request reviews before merging

  • Dismiss stale pull request approvals when new commits are pushed

  • Require review from Code Owners (if applicable)

  • Number of required reviewers: 1 (or more, depending on your team's workflow)

• Require status checks to pass before merging:

  • Require status checks to pass before merging

  • Require branches to be up to date before merging

  • Select the specific checks that need to pass (e.g., build, test)

• Restrict who can push to matching branches:

  • Restrict who can push to matching branches

  • Add specific teams or users who are allowed to push directly (typically, this might be a CI/CD system or a very limited number of maintainers)

• Include administrators: [x]

Workflow Enforcement

1. Development in dev:

   • All development work is done in the dev branch.

   • Developers commit and push changes to dev.

2. Merging to test:

   • Create a pull request to merge changes from dev to test.

   • Ensure all reviewers approve the PR and all status checks pass.

   • Merge the PR to test.

3. Merging to main:

   • Create a pull request to merge changes from test to main.

   • Ensure all reviewers approve the PR and all status checks pass.

   • Merge the PR to main.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your test and main branches are protected from direct commits and that all changes go through a review and testing process before being merged. This setup enforces a disciplined workflow and helps maintain the stability of your codebase.