Git Branch Naming Conventions

The Git Branching Naming Convention article is an excellent base. However, you can simplify even more.

Git branch names should be clear and follow this format: category/ticket-number_short-description. Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Pick a Category

Start with one of these:

• feature: Adding, tweaking, or removing a feature.
• bugfix: Fixing a bug.
• hotfix: Fast, urgent changes (might be temporary or skip the usual process).
• test: Experimenting, no specific issue or ticket.
• refactor: Reworking code for better structure, no feature changes.
• wip: Work in progress, not ready for review or merge.
• style: Updating formatting, visuals, or UI polish.
• docs: Writing or editing documentation.
• build: Tweaking build scripts or tooling.
• ci: Adjusting continuous integration setup or pipelines.
• perf: Improving performance or speed.

Step 2: Add the Jira Ticket Number

After the category, add a "/" and the ticket or issue number (like "ticket-42"). If there’s no ticket, use empty.

Step 3: End with a Short Description

Add an underscore "_" followed by a brief, kebab-cased description (words-separated-by-dashes). Keep it short and clear—summarize the branch’s purpose. If there’s a ticket, you can adapt its title, replacing special characters with "-".

Examples

• Adding a feature: feat/ticket-42_create-new-button-component
• Fixing a bug: fix/ticket-342_button-overlap-form-on-mobile
• Rushing a fix: hotfix/no-ticket_registration-form-not-working
• Refactoring code: refactor/ticket-88_simplify-auth-logic
• Work in progress: wip/no-ticket_new-dashboard-layout
• Styling: style/ticket-15_update-button-colors
• Documentation: docs/ticket-99_add-api-guide
• Build tweak: build/no-ticket_fix-docker-config
• CI update: ci/ticket-77_add-lint-step
• Performance boost: perf/ticket-55_optimize-image-loading

That’s it—simple, consistent, and easy to scan.