Deployment and version control
This is the short-form technical reference entry describing version control. If you are looking for more in-depth and long-form content on how it works, you may be interested in reading the version control manual.
If you are transitioning to the new version control in an app that currently has at least one custom branch, we recommend reading our version control transition guide.
Version control provides distinct Development and Live environments that exist in parallel, enabling continuous application development without affecting the live application. This system also facilitates the creation of customized branches to segregate projects and divide them into more manageable components.
Selecting environments
To select an environment, click on the Live option or choose one of the available branches listed under the Development section in the branch tree.
Live environment
Live branch
The live branch is your live site on the web. It cannot be edited directly.
Create a hotfix
This will create a branch to make urgent updates to your application. The hotfix branch is connected to the Development database. While a hotfix branch exists, from Main will be blocked. You'll be prompted for a confirmation before the branch is created..
Hotfix branch
Create savepoint
Create Savepoint lets you capture a snapshot of the current state of the hotfix branch. You can include a description to identify the save point later.
Deploy to Live
This will deploy the changes you have in hotfix to Live. You'll be prompted for a confirmation before the process starts where you can provide a description for the deployment. Once it has been deployed, the hotfix branch will be deleted and a savepoint will be created automatically with the description you provided.
Reset to Live
Click to reset the hotfix branch to match Live. You will retain savepoints and can restore to a savepoint or custom date/time at any time after resetting to undo it. You will be prompted for a confirmation before the process starts.
Delete
This will delete the hotfix branch. You will be prompted for a written confirmation before the branch is deleted.
Development environment
The Main branch
The Main branch is where your app is developed and tested before being deployed.
Load a branch
To load a branch, click it in the branch tree.
Create a new branch
Any branch that you created under the Main branch is known as a custom branch. Select the branch that you want to be the parent of the new branch and click the Create a new branch button. You will be prompted for a name and description. The new branch will be created as a child branch to the currently selected branch.
Next to the create button you will see a count of the remaining custom branch spots you have available in your current plan.
If you have created the maximum number of branches available in your plan, the Create new branch button will instead say Upgrade to add more branches.
Edit description
This option in the more options dropdown lets you edit the description of the currently selected branch.
Deploy to Live
This will deploy the changes you have in the Main branch to Live. You'll be prompted for a confirmation before the process starts where you can provide a description for the deployment. A savepoint will be created automatically with the description you provided.
Sync with Main
This lets you changes from Main into the currently selected branch. You will be prompted for a confirmation before the process starts. Clicking Continue will refresh the page and you will be able to review non-conflicting changes and resolve conflicts before confirming the merge.
Click Cancel merge in the bottom right corner of the screen to cancel the process at any point.
Sync with Live
This lets you merge changes from Live into the currently selected branch. You will be prompted for a confirmation before the process starts. Clicking Continue will refresh the page and you will be able to review non-conflicting changes and resolve conflicts before confirming the merge.
Click Cancel merge in the bottom right corner of the screen to cancel the process at any point.
Reset to Live
Click to reset the currently selected branch to match Live. You will retain savepoints and can restore to a savepoint or custom date/time at any time after resetting to undo it. You will be prompted for a confirmation before the process starts.
Delete
This will delete the currently selected branch. You will be prompted for a written confirmation before the branch is deleted. This option is not available on the Main branch.
Merge changes from another branch
This will the changes from another branch into the currently selected branch. The process is split into four steps. Clicking Merge changes from another branch will open the merge dashboard where the available branches in your app are listed. Selecting a branch and Clicking Continue will refresh the page and you will be able to review non-conflicting changes and resolve conflicts before confirming the merge.
Click Cancel merge in the bottom right corner of the screen to cancel the process at any point.
Savepoints
Create savepoint
Create Savepoint lets you capture a snapshot of the current state of the current active branch. You can include a description to identify the save point later.
Restore savepoint
If you've saved one or more savepoints, you can pick one from the list and click "Restore to this Savepoint" to begin the process. You'll be prompted for a final confirmation before the process starts, and the page will refresh automatically once the restoration is finished. A new savepoint will automatically be created.
Restore to custom date and time
To restore the branch to its state at a specific date and time, click Custom date and time and provide a date and time. Then click "Restore to this custom date and time" to begin the process. You'll be prompted for a final confirmation before the process starts, and the page will refresh automatically once the restoration is finished. A new savepoint will automatically be created.
Warning messages
Your branch is out of sync with Live
This warning will be displayed when Live contains changes that the currently selected branch does not have. Click Sync or choose Sync with live from the more options to sync with Live.
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