The Mutation++ development workflow follows the GitHub flow closely. This simple workflow has the following features:
- Heavy use of branching: any new feature or fix is implemented in a dedicated branch, which is then merged into the
masterbranch. - Limited direct commits to the central repository: all contributors work on their own fork of the project and submit their changes through merge requests.
The central repository has a minimal number of active branches, the reference being the master branch. This workflow might evolve into something more similar to the GitLab flow in the future, depending on whether or not the need for release tracking emerges. The feature branch workflow summarizes the process.
If you want to contribute to Mutation++, fork the central repository and branch the master branch to a feature branch. Branches created to address issues are commonly named after the issue ID and title branch:
git checkout master
git checkout -b {issue number}_{branch name}
Example: 29_error_handling_framework is created to solve issue #29 "Add proper error handling through C++ exceptions").
To keep your fork in sync with the upstream repository, define an upstream remote and regularly update your repository (see these instructions).
When you deem it is time to have your changes merged back into the central repository, submit a pull request. Your code will be reviewed and you will get feedback on your work. Code which fails to pass tests will not be merged.