Branches That Don't Suck #3: When Branches Are Symptoms
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Video Description
Here's something most teams miss: most branching problems aren't actually branching problems. They're symptoms of something else. The version control system is just where the pain becomes visible. Before you redesign your branching strategy, ask what problem you're actually solving.
What you'll learn: • "A branch is an integration credit card" • Two questions to ask before creating any branch • Why teams really create branches (the taxonomy) • Symptoms vs root causes table • Branch explosion dysfunction • Branch-per-environment anti-pattern • Zombie branches and lost changes • Cherry-pick culture problems • Distrust branches • When branching isn't the answer
Key insights: • For every branch, there's a merge waiting in your future • If both "why branch" answers are vague, don't branch • Too many branches = WIP problem, not branching problem • Branch-per-environment means you need CI/CD, not more branches • You can't fix a prioritization problem with a better branching strategy • Feature flags manage visibility, branches manage isolation
This applies whether you're using GitHub, Azure DevOps, GitLab, or any Git-based workflow.
Previous Video: Real World Branching Patterns Next Video: Pull Request Best Practices ► Full Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGxFXI4dC2sgmEG8vl1IoOVTj1y8V6Y6E
Mind blown about branch symptoms? Hit that like button! Subscribe - next up we tackle PR best practices! What branching dysfunction have you seen? Tell me in the comments!
#Git #GitForTeams #Branching #DevOps #TechnicalDebt #TeamDysfunction #FeatureFlags #CICD
0:00 When Branches Are Symptoms 0:25 Best practice: Don't Branch 0:34 If you've gotta branch, make it worthwhile. 0:45 It can get complicated. 1:05 Branching problem or branching symptom? 1:22 A branch is an integration credit card. 1:45 For every branch, there's a merge. 2:01 Before You Branch: Two Questions 2:37 Why Are We Branching? 3:23 Symptoms vs Root Causes 4:04 Before you redesign your branching strategy, ask what problem you're actually solving. 4:29 Dysfunction: Branch Explosion 5:10 Endless merge conflicts? How often do you do 'refresh' merges? 5:41 Dysfunction: Branch-Per-Environment 6:37 Why Branch-Per-Environment Fails QA 7:23 Dysfunction: Zombie Branches 8:06 Dysfunction: Cherry-Pick Culture 8:47 Dysfunction: Distrust Branches 9:25 The Branch Graveyard 10:08 When Branching Isn't the Answer 10:55 Quick Recap 11:52 Thanks for Watching
Video Info
- Duration: 11:56
- Published: January 19, 2026
