Workflows

Hotfix and Urgent Fixes

Handle urgent fixes on a stable base, ship the smallest repair possible, and then flow that repair back into the branches that still need it.

Where this workflow fits

Production incidents, release blockers, and severe regressions are classic hotfix situations. The goal is not to clean up everything. The goal is to repair one critical issue on the safest possible base and flow that fix back cleanly.

Recommended sequence

git switch main
git pull --ff-only
git switch -c hotfix/login-timeout

After the fix:

  1. validate the hotfix branch in isolation
  2. land it on the stable branch
  3. propagate the fix back into main or any maintained branches that still need it

Why hotfixes should avoid “while we are here” changes

Urgent fixes work best when the change surface stays small:

  • smaller diffs validate faster
  • rollback is simpler
  • incident analysis stays clearer

Related Reads

fetch vs pull

Explains why fetch-first workflows are often more controllable than pulling directly.

Feature Branch Collaboration

A practical feature-branch workflow for day-to-day teamwork, from cutting the branch and syncing main to cleaning the stack before review.

Sync Before Review

Sync your branch with main before opening review so reviewers see current, focused diffs instead of stale base noise.

PreviousSync Before Review

Sync your branch with main before opening review so reviewers see current, focused diffs instead of stale base noise.

NextRelease Branch Workflow

Explain when to cut a release branch, when to freeze features, and how to flow fixes back to main.