Branches

Understanding Active Branches in Your Codebase

Overview
The number of active branches in your codebase can vary based on the team's workload and project priorities. However, it's crucial to keep track of these branches and merge inactive ones in a timely manner to avoid unnecessary complications and technical debt. Delayed merges can lead to additional work down the line and make it harder to integrate features effectively.

What Does This Metric Measure?

The Active Branches metric tracks the number of branches in your codebase that are actively being worked on. These branches may contain code being developed, reviewed, or tested. It’s important to merge inactive branches before they become outdated to ensure the project moves forward smoothly and efficiently.

How Is This Metric Calculated?

Active Branches are calculated by tracking all branches across connected version control systems (VCS) and logging the number of days each branch has been open.

The process involves:

1. Identifying the Version Control System (VCS): The first step is to determine which VCS (e.g., Git, Mercurial) is being used.

2. Accessing the Repository: The system accesses the repository to get a list of all branches.

3. Evaluating Branch Activity: The activity level of each branch is evaluated based on the defined criteria (such as recent commits, pull requests, or code reviews).

4. Defining Criteria for Activity: Teams can set their own thresholds for determining what constitutes an "active" branch. For instance, a branch could be considered active if there has been a commit or activity within the last x days.

5. Determining Active Branches: Based on this analysis, branches that meet the activity criteria are marked as "active."

The calculation method may vary depending on the team's needs and the version control system in use. It can be customized by using VCS commands, GUI clients, or third-party tools.

What Questions Can I Answer from This Data?

The Active Branches metric provides valuable insights into the development workflow and can help answer the following questions:

1. What development branches is my team currently working on?
   You can identify which branches are actively being worked on and ensure that the work is progressing as expected.

2. How many development branches is my team currently handling?
   This gives you an overview of the workload, helping you monitor whether the team has too many concurrent branches or if there is room to streamline the process.

3. Which branches have been open for longer than expected?
   By identifying branches that have been open for an extended period, you can check in with team members to ensure timely merging or determine if there are blockers causing delays.

Key Takeaways from This Metric

1. Balance the Number of Open Branches
   Ideally, the number of active branches should be manageable, and more developers should be actively contributing than there are open branches. This ensures that the team is not overloaded and that the project is progressing smoothly.

2. Follow Up on Long-Standing Branches
   If branches have been open for longer than expected, follow up with the team to understand why they are still active. Prolonged branches can indicate issues such as delays in review, testing, or merging.

3. Encourage Timely Merges
   Timely merging of branches helps avoid complications, reduces the risk of merge conflicts, and ensures the codebase remains in a healthy state. Encourage your team to keep branches as short-lived as possible, merging them once the work is complete.

4. Monitor for Multiple Active Branches per User
   It's normal for developers to work on multiple branches over time, but be cautious if a single developer has several long-lived branches. This could be a sign of overlapping or uncoordinated work that might lead to inefficiency.

Conclusion

Tracking Active Branches is a valuable metric for managing your codebase and ensuring smooth development workflows. By monitoring branch activity, you can identify potential bottlenecks, ensure timely merging, and optimize the team’s efficiency. Regularly reviewing this metric will help you stay on top of branch management and ensure that your development process remains streamlined and organized.