> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.flosum.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.flosum.com/devops/code/overview-of-branches.md).

# Overview of Branches

View and manage all branches in your Flosum project.

{% hint style="warning" %}

#### Written for the Old UI

This article was written for the old UI. The instructions are still usable, but the screenshots are outdated. In some cases, items referenced in the instructions have moved or changed. If you cannot find an item, see the [Where Did It Go](/devops/new-ui-ux-transition/where-did-it-go.md) article.
{% endhint %}

## ![](https://1800549522-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRpUu5iMlzMFAudyBvMOl%2Fuploads%2FG5ZbxX918xOHwbAwAJ4n%2FSummary2-Small-Icon.svg?alt=media\&token=da26a67f-ff7f-47b3-8669-06be960dc2d7) Overview <a href="#overview" id="overview"></a>

Branches in DevOps can be accessed from the **Code** page, which displays all available branches in the project. Each branch serves as a working copy of the codebase, allowing for independent modifications. Users can search for branches, apply filters by ownership or activity, and sort them by the latest updates.

The starting point is the **main** branch, which is directly synced from your Production org and serves as the single source of truth and the foundation for all development work. Developers create feature branches from the Main Branch, providing isolated workspaces while maintaining alignment with Production.

<figure><img src="https://1800549522-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRpUu5iMlzMFAudyBvMOl%2Fuploads%2F5XVUGRDrsquvCTr1XvFK%2FOverviewOfBranches-01.png?alt=media&amp;token=fe4967b1-1604-440e-966c-1cd600903d84" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}

#### Best Practices

* Use descriptive branch names (e.g., **feature/new-approval-process**) to make collaboration easier.
* Regularly review **Behind/Ahead** counts to keep branches up to date with the main branch.
* Close or clean up stale branches to maintain a healthy repository.
  {% endhint %}

## Create Branch

To create a new branch, click the **Create Branch** button and select a source branch. For detailed instructions on creating a new branch, see the following article.

* [Creating a Branch](/devops/code/managing-branches/creating-a-branch.md)

## Branches Views

The available branches can be displayed in two different views, **List** and **Kanban**, which are explained in the sections below. To switch between the views, use the view switcher.

Branches in both views can be searched and sorted.

* **Search branches** – quickly locate a branch by name.
* **Sort by activity** – reorder branches by latest updates or name.

<figure><img src="https://1800549522-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRpUu5iMlzMFAudyBvMOl%2Fuploads%2FiRDn3KsWM6KIrzgr3gHr%2FOverviewOfBranches-02.png?alt=media&amp;token=d1326974-9535-4a67-907b-a38e7c2060ce" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### List View (Default)

The **List** view displays all the branches in a table that shows key details for each branch:

<figure><img src="https://1800549522-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRpUu5iMlzMFAudyBvMOl%2Fuploads%2FCypeNsOEPhJApyWNg4D2%2FOverviewOfBranches-03.png?alt=media&amp;token=2cc81dbd-3e1a-4af0-8eba-74665093d7b4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<table><thead><tr><th width="179.99993896484375">Branch Value</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td>The branch's name (e.g., main, ReleaseBranch).</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Created By</strong></td><td>The user who last updated the branch.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Last Activity</strong></td><td>The time since the most recent commit, update, or activity.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Behind / Ahead</strong></td><td>The number of commits the branch is behind or ahead of the source branch. In most cases, this will be the <strong>main</strong> branch.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Pull Requests</strong></td><td>The linked pull requests associated with the branch.</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### Branch Filters <a href="#branch-filters" id="branch-filters"></a>

You can filter the table using the options directly above the table.

<table><thead><tr><th width="180">Filter</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>All</strong></td><td>Displays all branches.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Yours</strong></td><td>Shows only branches you created or own.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Active</strong></td><td>Displays branches recently updated.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Stale</strong></td><td>Shows only branches without recent activity.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Kanban View <a href="#actions" id="actions"></a>

The **Kanban** view provides a visual overview of branches and their deployment locations. The board is organized by the environment to which each branch was most recently deployed. The environments correspond to the organization's environments. For example, if the **feature/new-feature** branch is deployed to the **quality-one** organization, which has a **QA** environment, the branch appears in the **QA** section of the board. The board includes the following sections.

<figure><img src="https://1800549522-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRpUu5iMlzMFAudyBvMOl%2Fuploads%2Fmp2fhhyV3cNToFbQZoLA%2FOverviewOfBranches-04.png?alt=media&amp;token=36dbcfaf-53d7-463b-a5f7-befe73ccf18c" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* **Not deployed yet** (includes branches that have not been deployed)
* **Dev**
* **QA**
* **Test**
* **Prod**

{% hint style="info" %}
If you are unsure which organizations are in each environment, view the **Organizations** table to see the environment listed for each.
{% endhint %}

#### Branch Card Details

Each branch is represented by a card that includes its details. The branch cards can be expanded to display more details, and each is explained in the table below.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://1800549522-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRpUu5iMlzMFAudyBvMOl%2Fuploads%2Fo90iiTOS3ZV4p3pdZRuR%2FOverviewOfBranches-05.png?alt=media&amp;token=26b2337f-756b-4a1b-baf8-5a6e9153dbda" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

<table><thead><tr><th width="180">Branch Detail</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Name</td><td>The branch's name (e.g., main, ReleaseBranch).</td></tr><tr><td>Last Activity</td><td>The time since the most recent commit, update, or activity.</td></tr><tr><td>Last Deployed</td><td>The time since the last deployment.</td></tr><tr><td>Owner</td><td>The user who created the branch.</td></tr><tr><td>Total Components</td><td>The number of components in the branch.</td></tr><tr><td>Behind / Ahead</td><td>The number of commits the branch is behind or ahead of the source branch. In most cases, this will be the <strong>main</strong> branch.</td></tr><tr><td>Pull Requests</td><td>The linked pull requests associated with the branch.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Selecting a Branch

To view more details about a branch and perform actions on the branch, click the branch. For comprehensive documentation on branches, see the following sections:

* [Branch Actions](/devops/code/branch-actions.md)
* [Code Tools](/devops/code/code-tools.md)


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