Trunk-based development (TBD) offers a solution to the challenges of managing feature branches in large development teams, promoting faster feedback and better collaboration.
TBD involves integrating small increments directly into the main branch, relying on feature toggles to enable unfinished features safely.
By shifting focus from isolated delivery to continuous collaboration, TBD reduces integration risks and speeds up the development cycle.
Core principles of TBD include frequent integration, short feedback loops, feature toggles, an always-deployable main branch, and collaborative development.
TBD differs from GitFlow in terms of branching model, integration timing, release management, risk level, and developer workflow.
Short-lived branches and direct commits to the main branch are key practices in TBD to reduce the risks associated with large, long-lived feature branches.
Feature toggles play a crucial role in TBD, allowing for safe deployment of features and controlled feature visibility without disrupting users.
Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) pipelines are essential in TBD to ensure every change is validated quickly and reliably.
Effective management of feature toggles is critical in TBD to avoid technical debt and maintain a clean codebase over time.
Transitioning to TBD requires a gradual shift, working with a review culture, minimizing feature branch lifespan, and effective automation and testing.