Stax: Revolutionizing Git Branch Management for Modern Developers

As developers, we've all been there: juggling multiple Git branches, struggling with PR workflows, and trying to keep our repositories clean. What if there was a tool that could simplify all of this, making your Git experience smoother and more intuitive? Enter Stax - your Git branch management sidekick that's changing how developers interact with Git. Stax Website: https://staxforgit.com/ Stax Github (OSS): https://github.com/TarasMazepa/stax Introducing Stax Stax is a powerful command-line tool designed to streamline your Git workflow and introduce you to PR stacking without the steep learning curve. Check out this introduction video to see Stax in action: stax demo video: https://youtu.be/QOpKlLDrpS0?si=hjUlKoXDHixbkkao Let's dive into what makes Stax such a game-changer for developers. Getting Started with Stax Installation Getting Stax up and running is incredibly straightforward: Windows (using Chocolatey): choco install stax macOS/Linux (using Homebrew): brew install TarasMazepa/stax/stax Initial Setup with Stax Doctor After installation, your first step should be running the diagnostic command: stax doctor This command checks your environment to ensure everything is configured correctly. It verifies your Git installation, confirms GitHub CLI authentication status, and makes sure you're ready to use all of Stax's features without any hiccups. Essential Stax Commands Visualizing Your Branches stax log Unlike the standard git branch command, stax log provides an elegant visual representation of your branch structure. This makes it significantly easier to understand the relationships between your branches and get a clear picture of your repository's organization. Cleaning Up Stale Branches stax delete Note: This command was previously called stax delete-gone-branches but has been simplified to just stax delete. When you run git branch -vv, you might notice branches marked as "gone" - these are local branches tracking remote branches that have been deleted. Manually cleaning these up can be tedious, but stax delete handles this automatically, keeping your repository tidy with a single command. Smart Pull Operations stax pull This intelligent command switches to your repository's default branch, pulls the latest changes, and then returns you to your original branch - all in one go. For added convenience, you can use the -f flag to clean up gone branches simultaneously: stax pull -f Streamlining PR Workflows stax pr Working with GitHub? This command automatically opens your PR page in your browser. No more copying and pasting URLs or navigating through the GitHub interface. Creating Branches and PRs in One Step stax commit -ubp This is where Stax truly shines. The -ubp flags perform three actions at once: -u: Creates a new branch and commits your changes -b: Pushes to GitHub -p: Opens a PR With a single command, you've completed what would normally take multiple steps and commands. Updating PRs After Feedback stax amend -u Need to update your PR after receiving feedback? This command amends your commit and force-pushes the changes automatically, updating your PR without any fuss. Managing Branch Trees with Rebasing stax rebase Dealing with interdependent branches can be complex, but stax rebase intelligently rebases entire trees of branches while maintaining their relationships. This is where you'll experience the power of PR stacking, all handled automatically by Stax. Pulling Specific Commits stax get This command pulls a specific commit and all its children, ensuring everything stays properly connected in your branch structure. Navigating Your Branch Structure stax move Move between branches using intuitive directional commands like "up", "down", "top", or "bottom" - making navigation through your repository's structure more intuitive than ever. Why Choose Stax? Stax transforms Git from a complex tool into an intuitive workflow assistant. It handles the tedious parts of branch management so you can focus on what truly matters - writing great code. By automating common Git tasks and providing clear visualizations of your branch structure, Stax reduces the cognitive load of repository management. This is especially valuable for teams working on complex projects with multiple interdependent features. Ready to Transform Your Git Workflow? If you're ready to say goodbye to Git frustrations and embrace a more efficient development process, it's time to give Stax a try. Visit staxforgit.com to learn more and join the growing community of developers who have transformed their Git workflow with this powerful tool. Remember, Stax isn't just about branch management - it's about making your life

Apr 1, 2025 - 17:49

Stax: Revolutionizing Git Branch Management for Modern Developers

As developers, we've all been there: juggling multiple Git branches, struggling with PR workflows, and trying to keep our repositories clean. What if there was a tool that could simplify all of this, making your Git experience smoother and more intuitive? Enter Stax - your Git branch management sidekick that's changing how developers interact with Git.

Stax Website: https://staxforgit.com/
Stax Github (OSS): https://github.com/TarasMazepa/stax

Introducing Stax

Stax is a powerful command-line tool designed to streamline your Git workflow and introduce you to PR stacking without the steep learning curve. Check out this introduction video to see Stax in action:

stax demo video: https://youtu.be/QOpKlLDrpS0?si=hjUlKoXDHixbkkao

Let's dive into what makes Stax such a game-changer for developers.

Getting Started with Stax

Installation

Getting Stax up and running is incredibly straightforward:

Windows (using Chocolatey):

  choco install stax

macOS/Linux (using Homebrew):

  brew install TarasMazepa/stax/stax

Initial Setup with Stax Doctor

After installation, your first step should be running the diagnostic command:

stax doctor

This command checks your environment to ensure everything is configured correctly. It verifies your Git installation, confirms GitHub CLI authentication status, and makes sure you're ready to use all of Stax's features without any hiccups.

Essential Stax Commands

Visualizing Your Branches

stax log

Unlike the standard git branch command, stax log provides an elegant visual representation of your branch structure. This makes it significantly easier to understand the relationships between your branches and get a clear picture of your repository's organization.

Cleaning Up Stale Branches

stax delete

Note: This command was previously called stax delete-gone-branches but has been simplified to just stax delete.

When you run git branch -vv, you might notice branches marked as "gone" - these are local branches tracking remote branches that have been deleted. Manually cleaning these up can be tedious, but stax delete handles this automatically, keeping your repository tidy with a single command.

Smart Pull Operations

stax pull

This intelligent command switches to your repository's default branch, pulls the latest changes, and then returns you to your original branch - all in one go. For added convenience, you can use the -f flag to clean up gone branches simultaneously:

stax pull -f

Streamlining PR Workflows

stax pr

Working with GitHub? This command automatically opens your PR page in your browser. No more copying and pasting URLs or navigating through the GitHub interface.

Creating Branches and PRs in One Step

stax commit -ubp

This is where Stax truly shines. The -ubp flags perform three actions at once:

-u: Creates a new branch and commits your changes
-b: Pushes to GitHub
-p: Opens a PR

With a single command, you've completed what would normally take multiple steps and commands.

Updating PRs After Feedback

stax amend -u

Need to update your PR after receiving feedback? This command amends your commit and force-pushes the changes automatically, updating your PR without any fuss.

Managing Branch Trees with Rebasing

stax rebase

Dealing with interdependent branches can be complex, but stax rebase intelligently rebases entire trees of branches while maintaining their relationships. This is where you'll experience the power of PR stacking, all handled automatically by Stax.

Pulling Specific Commits

stax get

This command pulls a specific commit and all its children, ensuring everything stays properly connected in your branch structure.

Navigating Your Branch Structure

stax move

Move between branches using intuitive directional commands like "up", "down", "top", or "bottom" - making navigation through your repository's structure more intuitive than ever.

Why Choose Stax?

Stax transforms Git from a complex tool into an intuitive workflow assistant. It handles the tedious parts of branch management so you can focus on what truly matters - writing great code.

By automating common Git tasks and providing clear visualizations of your branch structure, Stax reduces the cognitive load of repository management. This is especially valuable for teams working on complex projects with multiple interdependent features.

Ready to Transform Your Git Workflow?

If you're ready to say goodbye to Git frustrations and embrace a more efficient development process, it's time to give Stax a try. Visit staxforgit.com to learn more and join the growing community of developers who have transformed their Git workflow with this powerful tool.

Remember, Stax isn't just about branch management - it's about making your life as a developer simpler, more productive, and significantly less frustrating.

Happy coding!