LOD branches (Lines of Development)

Not sure if this is a Glewism, although Brad Appleton's book undoubtedly similar.

A LOD branch is not like a task branch.  A task brach ideally exists only briefly.

A LOD branch is long lived.  It may be periodically synchronized with other OD branches, and/or the mainline of development.  Bidirectionally synchronized - changes may be pushed and pulled.

For long periods of time a LOD branch may be collapsed - basically part of the main line of development.  But it may be revived as a separate LOD branch.


Examples of LOD branches:

* branches for different platforms, where there is not a single source tree with ifdeffing or other conditionals

* maintenance branches for old major releases

* branches where you are working on a new experimental feature or system