Git Workflow for GISE Projects

Establish a robust Git workflow that supports the GISE methodology throughout all four phases. Learn to structure repositories, manage branches, and coordinate team collaboration using Git-first development practices.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

✅ Set Up GISE Repository Structure - Create organized repositories that support all 4D phases
✅ Implement GitFlow for GISE - Use branching strategies that align with GISE methodology
✅ Version Control Documentation - Treat documentation as code with proper versioning
✅ Coordinate Team Collaboration - Enable seamless collaboration across roles and phases
✅ Automate Quality Gates - Set up CI/CD pipelines that enforce GISE standards

GISE Git Philosophy

In GISE methodology, everything is code and should be version controlled:

GISE Repository Structure

Standard Repository Layout

project-name/
├── README.md                    # Project overview and getting started
├── .gitignore                   # Git ignore patterns
├── .github/                     # GitHub specific configurations
│   ├── workflows/               # CI/CD workflows
│   ├── ISSUE_TEMPLATE/         # Issue templates
│   └── PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md # PR template
├── docs/                        # All project documentation
│   ├── discover/               # Discovery phase documentation
│   │   ├── requirements.md     # Functional and non-functional requirements
│   │   ├── user-stories.md     # User stories and acceptance criteria
│   │   ├── process-flows.md    # Business process documentation
│   │   └── stakeholder-analysis.md # Stakeholder mapping and analysis
│   ├── design/                 # Design phase documentation
│   │   ├── architecture.md     # System architecture documentation
│   │   ├── api-specifications/ # OpenAPI specifications
│   │   ├── database-schema.md  # Database design documentation
│   │   └── diagrams/          # Mermaid diagrams and exports
│   ├── develop/               # Development phase documentation
│   │   ├── coding-standards.md # Team coding conventions
│   │   ├── testing-strategy.md # Testing approach and guidelines
│   │   └── deployment-guide.md # Development deployment instructions
│   └── deploy/                # Deployment phase documentation
│       ├── production-setup.md # Production deployment guide
│       ├── monitoring.md       # Monitoring and alerting setup
│       └── runbooks/          # Operational procedures
├── src/                        # Source code
│   ├── api/                    # Backend API code
│   ├── web/                    # Frontend web application
│   ├── shared/                 # Shared libraries and utilities
│   └── scripts/               # Utility and deployment scripts
├── infrastructure/             # Infrastructure as Code
│   ├── terraform/             # Terraform configurations
│   ├── kubernetes/            # Kubernetes manifests
│   └── docker/                # Docker configurations
├── tests/                      # Test suites
│   ├── unit/                  # Unit tests
│   ├── integration/           # Integration tests
│   └── e2e/                   # End-to-end tests
└── tools/                      # Development tools and utilities
    ├── templates/             # Code and documentation templates
    └── scripts/               # Development automation scripts

Repository Initialization Script

#!/bin/bash
# GISE Repository Setup Script

PROJECT_NAME=$1
if [ -z "$PROJECT_NAME" ]; then
    echo "Usage: ./setup-gise-repo.sh <project-name>"
    exit 1
fi

# Create project directory
mkdir "$PROJECT_NAME"
cd "$PROJECT_NAME"

# Initialize Git repository
git init
echo "# $PROJECT_NAME" > README.md

# Create GISE directory structure
mkdir -p docs/{discover,design,develop,deploy}
mkdir -p src/{api,web,shared,scripts}
mkdir -p infrastructure/{terraform,kubernetes,docker}
mkdir -p tests/{unit,integration,e2e}
mkdir -p tools/{templates,scripts}
mkdir -p .github/{workflows,ISSUE_TEMPLATE}

# Create initial documentation files
echo "# Discovery Phase Documentation" > docs/discover/README.md
echo "# Design Phase Documentation" > docs/design/README.md
echo "# Development Phase Documentation" > docs/develop/README.md
echo "# Deployment Phase Documentation" > docs/deploy/README.md

# Create standard .gitignore
cat > .gitignore << 'EOF'
# Dependencies
node_modules/
*.log

# Environment variables
.env
.env.local
.env.production

# Build outputs
dist/
build/
*.tgz

# IDE files
.vscode/
.idea/
*.swp
*.swo

# OS generated files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# Temporary files
tmp/
temp/
EOF

echo "GISE repository structure created for $PROJECT_NAME"

GISE Branch Strategy

GitFlow Adaptation for GISE

Branch Naming Conventions

# GISE Branch Naming Standards

## Main Branches
- `main` - Production-ready code and documentation
- `develop` - Integration branch for development work

## Phase Branches
- `discover/[milestone]` - Discovery phase work
  - `discover/requirements`
  - `discover/user-stories`
  - `discover/process-analysis`

- `design/[component]` - Design phase work
  - `design/architecture`
  - `design/api-specs`
  - `design/database-schema`

- `develop/[feature]` - Development phase work
  - `develop/user-authentication`
  - `develop/payment-processing`
  - `develop/reporting-dashboard`

- `deploy/[environment]` - Deployment phase work
  - `deploy/staging`
  - `deploy/production`
  - `deploy/monitoring`

## Support Branches
- `hotfix/[issue]` - Critical production fixes
- `bugfix/[issue]` - Non-critical bug fixes
- `docs/[topic]` - Documentation-only updates

Workflow by GISE Phase

Phase 1: Discover Workflow

Discover Phase Checklist:

# Discover Phase Completion Checklist

## Documentation Review
- [ ] Requirements document is complete and reviewed
- [ ] User stories have clear acceptance criteria
- [ ] Process flows are documented with Mermaid diagrams
- [ ] Stakeholder analysis is comprehensive
- [ ] Technical research findings are documented

## Quality Gates
- [ ] All documentation follows markdown standards
- [ ] Diagrams render correctly in GitHub/GitLab
- [ ] Links between documents are functional
- [ ] Spelling and grammar have been checked
- [ ] Stakeholders have reviewed and approved content

## Git Standards
- [ ] Commits have clear, descriptive messages
- [ ] Branch follows naming conventions
- [ ] Pull request has detailed description
- [ ] All conversations in PR are resolved
- [ ] Branch is up to date with main before merge

Phase 2: Design Workflow

Design Phase Templates:

# .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/design-phase.md
## Design Phase Pull Request

### Changes Made
- [ ] Architecture documentation updated
- [ ] System diagrams created/updated
- [ ] API specifications defined
- [ ] Database schema documented
- [ ] Integration points identified

### Review Checklist
- [ ] Architecture supports all requirements
- [ ] Diagrams are clear and accurate
- [ ] API specs follow OpenAPI standards
- [ ] Database design is normalized
- [ ] Security considerations addressed
- [ ] Performance requirements considered
- [ ] Scalability factors documented

### Testing Impact
- [ ] Test strategy updated
- [ ] Integration test scenarios identified
- [ ] Performance test requirements defined

### Documentation
- [ ] All diagrams use Mermaid syntax
- [ ] Documentation follows GISE standards
- [ ] Links to external resources are functional

Phase 3: Development Workflow

Development Workflow Configuration:

# .github/workflows/gise-development.yml
name: GISE Development Workflow

on:
  pull_request:
    branches: [develop, main]
  push:
    branches: [develop, main]

jobs:
  quality-gates:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      
      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: '18'
          cache: 'npm'
          
      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm ci
        
      - name: Lint code
        run: npm run lint
        
      - name: Format check
        run: npm run format:check
        
      - name: Type check
        run: npm run type-check
        
      - name: Unit tests
        run: npm run test:unit
        
      - name: Integration tests
        run: npm run test:integration
        
      - name: Security audit
        run: npm audit --audit-level high
        
      - name: Build project
        run: npm run build

  documentation-check:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      
      - name: Check markdown links
        uses: gaurav-nelson/github-action-markdown-link-check@v1
        
      - name: Validate Mermaid diagrams
        uses: ./tools/actions/validate-mermaid
        
      - name: Check documentation standards
        run: ./tools/scripts/check-docs.sh

Phase 4: Deploy Workflow

Collaboration Workflows

Code Review Standards

# GISE Code Review Guidelines

## Review Criteria

### Functionality
- [ ] Code implements requirements correctly
- [ ] All acceptance criteria are met
- [ ] Edge cases are handled appropriately
- [ ] Error handling is comprehensive

### Code Quality
- [ ] Code follows established coding standards
- [ ] Functions are single-purpose and well-named
- [ ] Complex logic is well-commented
- [ ] No code duplication without justification

### Testing
- [ ] Unit tests cover new functionality
- [ ] Integration tests verify system interactions
- [ ] Test cases include happy path and error scenarios
- [ ] Test coverage meets project standards (>90%)

### Documentation
- [ ] Public APIs are documented
- [ ] Complex algorithms are explained
- [ ] Configuration changes are documented
- [ ] README files are updated if needed

### Security
- [ ] Input validation is implemented
- [ ] Authentication/authorization is correct
- [ ] Sensitive data is properly handled
- [ ] Dependencies are up to date and secure

Merge Strategies

Advanced Git Techniques for GISE

Semantic Commits

Use conventional commits to enhance traceability:

# GISE Commit Message Format
<type>[optional scope]: <description>

[optional body]

[optional footer(s)]

# Examples:
docs(discover): add user story for payment processing
feat(api): implement user authentication endpoint
fix(deploy): correct database connection string
test(integration): add order processing test suite
docs(design): update architecture diagram with caching layer

Git Hooks for Quality

#!/bin/sh
# .git/hooks/pre-commit
# GISE Pre-commit Hook

# Check documentation links
echo "Checking documentation links..."
if ! npm run docs:check-links; then
    echo "❌ Documentation link check failed"
    exit 1
fi

# Validate Mermaid diagrams
echo "Validating Mermaid diagrams..."
if ! npm run docs:validate-diagrams; then
    echo "❌ Mermaid diagram validation failed"
    exit 1
fi

# Run linting
echo "Running linter..."
if ! npm run lint; then
    echo "❌ Linting failed"
    exit 1
fi

# Run unit tests
echo "Running unit tests..."
if ! npm run test:unit; then
    echo "❌ Unit tests failed"
    exit 1
fi

echo "✅ All pre-commit checks passed"

Repository Templates

Create repository templates for consistent GISE project setup:

# GISE Project Template Checklist

## Repository Setup
- [ ] README.md with project overview
- [ ] GISE directory structure created
- [ ] .gitignore configured for tech stack
- [ ] GitHub/GitLab templates added
- [ ] CI/CD workflows configured
- [ ] Branch protection rules set

## Documentation Templates
- [ ] Requirements document template
- [ ] User story template
- [ ] Architecture decision record template
- [ ] API specification template
- [ ] Deployment runbook template

## Development Setup
- [ ] Code formatting rules (Prettier/ESLint)
- [ ] Git hooks for quality gates
- [ ] Testing framework configured
- [ ] Development environment setup documented

## Integration Setup
- [ ] CI/CD pipeline configured
- [ ] Quality gates defined
- [ ] Security scanning enabled
- [ ] Deployment automation ready

Monitoring and Analytics

Git Analytics for GISE

Track key metrics across GISE phases:

# GISE Git Metrics Dashboard

## Phase Completion Metrics
- **Discovery Duration**: Time from first discover commit to merge
- **Design Iteration**: Number of design review cycles
- **Development Velocity**: Features completed per sprint
- **Deployment Frequency**: Releases per time period

## Quality Metrics
- **Documentation Coverage**: % of features with complete documentation
- **Test Coverage**: Automated test coverage percentage
- **Review Participation**: Team members participating in reviews
- **Defect Escape Rate**: Issues found in production vs. development

## Collaboration Metrics
- **Pull Request Size**: Average lines changed per PR
- **Review Time**: Time from PR creation to approval
- **Merge Conflicts**: Frequency and resolution time
- **Branch Lifespan**: Average time feature branches remain open

Automation Scripts

#!/bin/bash
# tools/scripts/gise-metrics.sh
# Generate GISE project metrics

echo "GISE Project Metrics Report"
echo "=========================="

# Phase completion analysis
echo "Phase Analysis:"
echo "- Discover commits: $(git log --oneline --grep='docs(discover)' | wc -l)"
echo "- Design commits: $(git log --oneline --grep='docs(design)' | wc -l)"
echo "- Develop commits: $(git log --oneline --grep='feat\|fix' | wc -l)"
echo "- Deploy commits: $(git log --oneline --grep='docs(deploy)' | wc -l)"

# Documentation coverage
echo ""
echo "Documentation Coverage:"
docs_files=$(find docs -name "*.md" | wc -l)
echo "- Total documentation files: $docs_files"
echo "- Average file size: $(find docs -name "*.md" -exec wc -c {} + | tail -1 | awk '{print $1/$NF}')"

# Recent activity
echo ""
echo "Recent Activity (last 30 days):"
echo "- Commits: $(git log --since='30 days ago' --oneline | wc -l)"
echo "- Contributors: $(git shortlog --since='30 days ago' -sn | wc -l)"
echo "- Files changed: $(git diff --name-only HEAD 'HEAD@{30 days ago}' | wc -l)"

Next Steps

After setting up your GISE Git workflow:

Train Your Team - Ensure everyone understands the workflow and conventions
Customize Templates - Adapt templates to your specific project needs
Set Up Automation - Configure CI/CD pipelines and quality gates
Monitor Progress - Use Git analytics to track GISE methodology adoption
Iterate and Improve - Regularly review and refine your Git workflow

Remember: A well-structured Git workflow is the backbone of successful GISE implementation. Invest time in setting it up correctly, and it will pay dividends throughout your project lifecycle.

Learning Objectives​

GISE Git Philosophy​

GISE Repository Structure​

Standard Repository Layout​

Repository Initialization Script​

GISE Branch Strategy​

GitFlow Adaptation for GISE​

Branch Naming Conventions​

Workflow by GISE Phase​

Phase 1: Discover Workflow​

Phase 2: Design Workflow​

Phase 3: Development Workflow​

Phase 4: Deploy Workflow​

Collaboration Workflows​

Code Review Standards​

Merge Strategies​

Advanced Git Techniques for GISE​

Semantic Commits​

Git Hooks for Quality​

Repository Templates​

Monitoring and Analytics​

Git Analytics for GISE​

Automation Scripts​

Next Steps​