Mergify Backport Command
Copy a pull request to another branch after merge.
The backport
command is one of Mergify's most useful features, especially for
projects that maintain multiple branches simultaneously. This command automates
the process of creating a new pull request to apply changes from a merged pull
request onto another branch. Whether you're maintaining different versions of a
software or need to ensure that bug fixes are propagated to all active
branches, backport
has got you covered.
With the backport
command, managing changes across multiple branches becomes
a breeze. Say goodbye to the tedious manual cherry-picking and let Mergify
streamline your workflow.
Once the backport is initiated, Mergify will provide feedback directly in the comments. If the backport is successful, you'll receive a link to the newly created pull request. If there are issues, Mergify will provide a brief description of the problem.
If Mergify encounters merge conflicts during the backport process, it will create a pull request with the conflicts. You'll need to manually resolve these conflicts within GitHub.
The backport
command is especially handy for:
-
Version Maintenance: Quickly propagate bug fixes to older, maintained versions of your software.
-
Feature Parity: Ensure that features developed on a mainline branch are also available on other active branches.
This command is also available as an action.
-
Always review the generated backport pull request before merging, to ensure that the changes are compatible with the target branch.
-
If you anticipate a challenging backport due to major differences between branches, consider manually preparing the branch before invoking the
backport
command.
Syntax
@Mergifyio backport <target-branch> [<another-target-branch>] […]
Parameters
<target-branch>
: The name of the branch to which the changes should be backported.
Example
Suppose you have a pull request that was merged into main
, but you also want
to apply these changes to a branch named v2.0-stable
. You would use the
command as follows:
@Mergifyio backport v2.0-stable
Upon executing this command, Mergify will attempt to automatically create a new
pull request with the changes onto the v2.0-stable
branch as soon as the
original pull request is merged.