Content Lifecycle Strategies
Maintain and deliver different versions of content by using releases and branches.
Releases
Releases enable you to create non-editable copies, or snapshots, of maps with all dependencies at their current state.
Interface
The Releases tab enables you to do the following:
- Create new releases
- Localize releases
- Publish releases
- Branch releases
- Preview releases
- Download releases
- Deprecate (or archive) releases
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when working with releases:
- Before creating a release, check the content for errors. You can do that by publishing your content and verifying how the output looks.
- Establish a releases naming convention. Once you create a release, you cannot change its title.
- The resources in releases do not count against your content object limits.
Example
The following example shows three releases of a product guide created from the master branch. The releases cannot be edited.
Branches
Interface
The Branching tab enables you to do the following:
- Create a branch from a map
- Merge content from one branch with content in another branch
- Replace content from one branch with content from another branch
- Compare branches
Merging or replacing branches creates a history entry that allows you to view and restore a file to the former version by using the History tab.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when working with branches:
- Before creating a branch, check the content for errors. You can do that by publishing your content and verifying how the output looks.
- Establish a branches naming convention. Once you create a branch, you cannot change its name.
- Designate a person, for example a team leader, who will be responsible for merging and replacing branches.
- The resources in branches count against your content object limits.
Example
In the following example, each branch corresponds with a particular product guide version. The branches can be edited at any point.
Releases and Branches Comparison
Releases and branches have distinct characteristics that you can use in a synergistic relationship.
Releases | Branches |
---|---|
Non-editable | Editable |
Good for localization purposes | Poor for localization purposes |
Good for archival purposes | Poor for archival purposes |
Good for scheduled delivery | Good for continuous delivery |
Content Release Cycle
Our suggested model content release cycle involves releases and branches.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when versioning your content:
- Develop the current version of your documentation on the master branch
- When the documentation development cycle for a given version is over, create a release for archival purposes
- Consider branching a past documentation set when it is no longer relevant and requires updating
Example
- The “Product 1.0 Guide” was updated twice
- The “Product 2.0 Guide” was not updated
- The “Product 3.0 Guide” was updated once
Version Content
We recommend versioning the product documentation by using both branches and releases.
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