Git & GitHub
/Intermediate
Hotfix Branches
Definition
Branches created to quickly patch production releases without interrupting pending changes on the development branch.
Explain Like I'm New
A fire alarm. Production is completely broken, users can't buy products, and the company is losing $10,000 an hour. You cannot wait for the standard 2-week Sprint. You branch DIRECTLY off `main`, fix the bug in 5 minutes, and merge it immediately back to `main`.
Real World Example
Fixing a typo on the homepage pricing table that accidentally says '$1' instead of '$100'.
Common Use Cases
- •Emergency production patches
Terminal Output
bash / terminal
# FIRE ALARM! Production is broken!
# 1. Branch straight off the live code (main)
$ git checkout main
$ git checkout -b hotfix-pricing-typo
# 2. Fix the typo, test it, commit it
$ git commit -am "Fix critical pricing typo"
# 3. Merge immediately to main and deploy
$ git checkout main
$ git merge hotfix-pricing-typo
# 4. Crucial: Merge back to the development branch so it isn't lost!
$ git checkout develop
$ git merge hotfix-pricing-typo
Interview Questions
basic
- Which branch do you typically branch off of to create a hotfix?
intermediate
- After merging a hotfix into `main`, where else must you merge it?