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SUSE Manager branch conventions

Author: Joseph Cayouette
Version: v1.0 (2025-10-23)

Applies to: SUSE Manager documentation releases
Current Versions: SUSE Manager 4.3 and 5.0
Repository: uyuni-docs

Overview​

This document outlines the branch management conventions used for SUSE Manager documentation releases. We maintain separate branches for each major release and create maintenance branches for minor updates and patches.

The branching strategy ensures:

  • Stable documentation for each supported SUSE Manager version
  • Isolated development for different release streams
  • Controlled deployment of fixes and updates
  • Clear version tracking and release management

Branch Structure​

Current Active Branches​

Major Release Branches:

  • manager-4.3 - SUSE Manager 4.3 documentation
  • manager-5.0 - SUSE Manager 5.0 documentation
  • master - Development branch for future releases (Uyuni and MLM)

Current Maintenance Branches:

  • manager-4.3-MU-4.3.16 - SUSE Manager 4.3 maintenance update 16
  • manager-5.0-MU-5.0.5 - SUSE Manager 5.0 maintenance update 5

Branch Naming Conventions​

Major Release Branches:

  • Format: manager-X.Y
  • Examples: manager-4.3, manager-5.0

Maintenance Update Branches:

  • Format: manager-X.Y-MU-X.Y.Z
  • Examples: manager-4.3-MU-4.3.16, manager-5.0-MU-5.0.5

Major Version Release Process​

Creating Major Release Branches​

Major release branches are created annually from the master branch when a new SUSE Manager version is released.

Procedure:

  1. Prepare the source branch:

    # Switch to master branch
    git checkout master

    # Fetch all remote changes
    git fetch --all

    # Update master with latest changes
    git pull --ff-only

  2. Create the major release branch:

    # Create new branch for major release
    git checkout -b manager-X.Y
    # Example: git checkout -b manager-5.1

  3. Push the new branch:

    # Push the new branch to remote
    git push --set-upstream origin manager-X.Y

  4. Verify branch creation:

    # Confirm you're on the correct branch
    git branch

    # Verify branch exists on remote
    git branch -r | grep manager-X.Y

Current Examples​

SUSE Manager 4.3:

git checkout master
git fetch --all
git pull --ff-only
git checkout -b manager-4.3
git push --set-upstream origin manager-4.3

SUSE Manager 5.0:

git checkout master
git fetch --all
git pull --ff-only
git checkout -b manager-5.0
git push --set-upstream origin manager-5.0

Maintenance Version Release Process​

Creating Maintenance Update Branches​

Maintenance update branches are created from existing major release branches to deliver patches, bug fixes, and minor updates.

Procedure:

  1. Switch to the target major branch:

    # Checkout the major release branch
    git checkout manager-X.Y
    # Example: git checkout manager-4.3

  2. Update the major branch:

    # Fetch latest changes
    git fetch --all

    # Pull updates from remote
    git pull --ff-only

  3. Create the maintenance branch:

    # Create maintenance update branch
    git checkout -b manager-X.Y-MU-X.Y.Z
    # Example: git checkout -b manager-4.3-MU-4.3.17

  4. Push the maintenance branch:

    # Push to remote repository
    git push --set-upstream origin manager-X.Y-MU-X.Y.Z

Current Maintenance Examples​

SUSE Manager 4.3 Maintenance Update:

# Current: manager-4.3-MU-4.3.16
# Next maintenance update would be:

git checkout manager-4.3
git fetch --all
git pull --ff-only
git checkout -b manager-4.3-MU-4.3.17
git push --set-upstream origin manager-4.3-MU-4.3.17

SUSE Manager 5.0 Maintenance Update:

# Current: manager-5.0-MU-5.0.5
# Next maintenance update would be:

git checkout manager-5.0
git fetch --all
git pull --ff-only
git checkout -b manager-5.0-MU-5.0.6
git push --set-upstream origin manager-5.0-MU-5.0.6

Branch Lifecycle Management​

Branch Relationships​

Master Branch:

  • Contains latest development work
  • Source for new major release branches
  • Receives new features and improvements
  • Not used for production releases

Major Release Branches:

  • Stable documentation for specific SUSE Manager versions
  • Source for maintenance update branches
  • Receive backported fixes and updates
  • Long-term support lifecycle

Maintenance Update Branches:

  • Short-lived branches for specific updates
  • Contain targeted fixes and improvements
  • Merged back to major release branch after release
  • Archived after successful deployment

Update Flow​

New Features:

  1. Developed on feature branches from master
  2. Merged to master after review and testing
  3. Backported to active major release branches if applicable

Bug Fixes:

  1. Applied to relevant maintenance update branch
  2. Tested and validated for specific version
  3. Merged to major release branch
  4. Cherry-picked to master if applicable

Security Updates:

  1. Applied to all active maintenance branches
  2. Fast-tracked through review process
  3. Deployed to all supported versions simultaneously

Working with Branches​

Switching Between Versions​

Check current branch:

git branch
git status

Switch to different version:

# Switch to SUSE Manager 4.3
git checkout manager-4.3

# Switch to SUSE Manager 5.0  
git checkout manager-5.0

# Switch to current 4.3 maintenance
git checkout manager-4.3-MU-4.3.16

# Switch to current 5.0 maintenance
git checkout manager-5.0-MU-5.0.5

Keeping Branches Updated​

Update major release branches:

# For manager-4.3
git checkout manager-4.3
git fetch origin
git pull --ff-only origin manager-4.3

# For manager-5.0
git checkout manager-5.0
git fetch origin
git pull --ff-only origin manager-5.0

Update maintenance branches:

# For current 4.3 maintenance
git checkout manager-4.3-MU-4.3.16
git fetch origin
git pull --ff-only origin manager-4.3-MU-4.3.16

# For current 5.0 maintenance
git checkout manager-5.0-MU-5.0.5
git fetch origin
git pull --ff-only origin manager-5.0-MU-5.0.5

Release Coordination​

Version Planning​

Major Releases:

  • Coordinated with SUSE Manager product releases
  • Annual release cycle typically
  • Require comprehensive testing and validation
  • Include significant feature updates and changes

Maintenance Updates:

  • Regular schedule based on product maintenance cycle
  • Focus on bug fixes and security updates
  • Minimal risk changes only
  • Fast deployment when critical issues arise

Branch Protection​

Protected Branches:

  • All major release branches (manager-4.3, manager-5.0)
  • Current maintenance branches
  • Master branch

Protection Rules:

  • Require pull request reviews
  • Require status checks to pass
  • Require signed commits
  • Restrict force pushes
  • Require linear history

Best Practices​

Branch Management​

Creation:

  • Always create branches from updated source branches
  • Use consistent naming conventions
  • Verify branch creation with remote confirmation
  • Document branch purpose and lifecycle

Maintenance:

  • Keep branches updated with regular pulls
  • Monitor for conflicts when merging changes
  • Archive outdated maintenance branches
  • Maintain clean branch history

Documentation:**​

  • Update this document when conventions change
  • Communicate branch changes to team members
  • Maintain branch lifecycle documentation
  • Document any exceptions or special procedures

Quality Assurance​

Before Branch Creation:

  • Verify source branch is current and clean
  • Confirm naming convention compliance
  • Test branch creation process in development environment
  • Coordinate with team on timing and impact

After Branch Creation:

  • Verify branch exists on remote repository
  • Test checkout and update procedures
  • Update CI/CD pipelines if necessary
  • Communicate availability to team members

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Branch Not Found:

# Fetch all remote branches
git fetch --all

# List all branches including remote
git branch -a

# Checkout remote branch locally
git checkout -b manager-5.0 origin/manager-5.0

Merge Conflicts:

# Abort current merge
git merge --abort

# Update source branch first
git checkout manager-5.0
git pull --ff-only

# Try merge again or use rebase strategy

Outdated Local Branches:

# Remove outdated local branches
git branch -d old-branch-name

# Force remove if needed (use with caution)
git branch -D old-branch-name

# Clean up remote tracking branches
git remote prune origin

Emergency Procedures​

Critical Updates:

  1. Identify all affected branches
  2. Create emergency maintenance branches if needed
  3. Apply fixes to maintenance branches first
  4. Test and validate changes
  5. Deploy to production
  6. Backport to major release branches
  7. Update master branch if applicable

This branching strategy ensures reliable version management and controlled deployment of SUSE Manager documentation updates across all supported versions.