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Feature Request FR-4660
Product Area Team Development
Status CLOSED

1 Voters

Working Copies Synced with Git Branches and Pull Requests

ld.diaz Public · Sep 21 2025

Idea Summary
Enable native integration between APEX Working Copies and Git repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).

When a Working Copy is created, APEX automatically creates a feature branch in Git.

When the Working Copy is merged back, APEX opens a Pull/Merge Request against the main branch, aligning changes with enterprise source control and CI/CD pipelines.

This avoids manual exports, scripts, or ad-hoc tooling.

Problem

  • Current APEX export/import model requires developers to manually manage Git commits or rely on CI jobs.
  • Working Copies exist only inside APEX; they are not tracked in Git.
  • Collaboration lacks branching, PR review, and CI/CD validation.
  • Conflict resolution between developers is cumbersome without Git diffs and reviews.

Objectives

  1. Synchronize APEX Working Copies ↔ Git branches.
  2. Automate Pull/Merge Request creation during merge.
  3. Provide diff viewers in Builder (APEX vs Git).
  4. Integrate with CI/CD checks (lint, tests, deployments).
  5. Preserve auditability of who changed what, when.

Uses Case

  • Developer creates a Working Copy → APEX generates branch feature/order-wizard.
  • As changes are made, commits are auto-pushed.
  • Merge triggers PR against develop; CI tests run before approval.
  • Working Copy created from main for urgent bug.
  • Branch hotfix/payment-timeout opened, PR created directly to main.
  • After merge, APEX syncs changes back and closes WC.
  • Multiple developers create WCs/branches in parallel.
  • Code reviews happen via PRs; conflicts are detected early in Git.
  • Approved changes merged and reflected in APEX seamlessly.

Preferred Solution (Optional)
Goal: Provide a Git-native workflow directly in APEX Builder, aligning with modern DevOps practices.

Key Decisions

  • Branching: Creating WC auto-creates a branch in remote Git.
  • Syncing: Changes committed automatically or on demand, with templates for commit messages.
  • Merge: Merging WC opens PR/MR; after approval/CI success, Git merges and APEX syncs main app.
  • Diff Viewer: Side-by-side diff (APEX vs Git export).
  • Conflict Handling: Assisted reconciliation if two WCs touched same page/component.
  • Security: Tokens stored in encrypted vault; OAuth/OIDC for Git cloud providers.
  • Audit: Logs include Git commit hash, WC ID, user, and timestamps.
  • Opt-in: Feature activated per app; does not affect legacy export/import pipelines.
We reviewed this idea carefully, and while it was interesting, we concluded that due to all the internal implications we need to take into account, it is unlikely to make its way into APEX.

Comments

Comments

  • vincent morneau Admin OP 2 weeks ago

    Hi @ld.diaz thanks for sharing several ideas recently. We’re noticing more proposals that appear to be AI-generated or AI-assisted, including this one. While that’s not necessarily a problem, it often makes the ideas harder to evaluate and turn into actionable steps. This particular idea of yours makes broad claims across multiple APEX components, which makes it unactionable at this stage. If you’d like, please consider refining and refocusing your idea in a human-written reply so we can better assess it.