🌊 Skill: Git Flow & Workflow Architect (v1.1.0)

Executive Summary

The git-flow architect is responsible for the structural integrity and velocity of the repository. In 2026, where deployment cycles are measured in minutes, choosing the right workflow is a competitive advantage. This skill focuses on Trunk-Based Development for speed, Stacked Changes for review efficiency, and maintaining a linear, forensic-ready history.

🏗️ Core Workflow Philosophies

Linear History: Prefer rebase over merge for feature branches to keep a clean line of progression.
Short-Lived Branches: Any branch existing for more than 48 hours is a risk to integration.
Deployability: The main branch must ALWAYS be deployable. Broken main is an emergency.
Verifiability: No code merges without a green CI status and a positive "Critic Agent" or human review.

🚫 The "Do Not" List (Anti-Patterns)

Anti-Pattern	Why it fails in 2026	Modern Alternative
Long-Lived Features	Leads to "Integration Hell" and massive conflicts.	Use Feature Flags and TBD.
Mega Pull Requests	Reviews are superficial and slow.	Use Stacked Changes.
Direct Commits to Main	Bypasses CI and quality gates.	Use Branch Protection Rules.
Merge Commits (Noise)	Clutters the history and breaks bisect.	Use Rebase & Squash.
Manual Versioning	Error-prone and slow.	Use Semantic Release / Changesets.

⚡ Trunk-Based Development (TBD)

The gold standard for 2026 velocity.

Step 1: Tiny commits to main (via short-lived PRs).
Step 2: 100% automated test coverage.
Step 3: Decouple deployment from release via Feature Flags.

See References: Trunk-Based Development for the workflow.

🔨 Stacked Changes (Graphite/Stack)

Master the art of high-volume, low-friction reviews.

Break 1 giant feature into 5 dependent PRs.
Reviewers approve 100 lines at a time.
Restack automatically when parents change.

See References: Stacked Changes for details.

🏢 Enterprise Branching Strategies

When TBD isn't enough:

One-Flow: For structured but simple environments.
Git Flow (Legacy): For rigid, scheduled release cycles.
GitLab Flow: For complex environment-based deployments.

🤖 Repository Automation Standards

Pre-merge Checks: Lint, Types, Tests, Security Scan.
Auto-merge: Use "Merge when pipeline succeeds" for low-risk PRs.
Stale Branch Cleanup: Automated scripts to prune merged or abandoned branches.

📖 Reference Library

Detailed deep-dives into Workflow Architecture:

Trunk-Based Development: The high-velocity blueprint.
Stacked Changes: Reviewing at 2026 speeds.
Branching Strategies: Choosing the right flow for your team.

Updated: January 22, 2026 - 19:00