git - Why is merging feature branches into release branches a bad idea? -

we have adopted branching model proposed vincent driessen , has described in article.

only when comes handling release branches deviate bit.

vincent proposes develop features in branches branched developer. when decided features come next release, merged developer , release branch created it.

after feature branch should used testing , bugfixing. when release deployed live, release branch merged developer , master.

what instead merge features directly release branch:

i feel not way should done , i'm trying think of cases make things more complicated.

one can think of following:

let's new feature c building upon feature a, merged release branch. have first merge release branch developer able create new feature c branch developer.

are there other cases branching model make things more complicated?

one case think of, can make thing go complicated start blocking further development.

consider developing feature a, go on next release. there development team working on feature b, heavily dependent on feature a, needs in release after couple of sprints. so, branch out feature b feature a.

now, find bug in feature a, release feature approaching fast, have 2 options hot-fix/hack or proper code re-factor , fix.

with time constraint, wise have hot-fix, considering future need proper re-factor , fix.

happy news can go both.

with strategy (from understand) release branch, receive patches , hot-fixes(contains 5+ commits) can't commit feature (if strict on policies). consider number of such fixes release having if have 10+ features @ once.

but vincent driessen's strategy there development branch stash between feature , release, such hot fixes can merge development branch , branch out there hot fixes , merge development , release. , have advantage of not having hacks/hot-fixes anywhere in feature branch. further features based on feature can continue parallel. , can abandon hotfixes branches or remove history. 1 view-point , can defend strategy in case. open further discussions , corrections in answer :)

and here pretty nasty image depicting conveying.