Increment not working when merging feature branch in main

[prantzos]

Hi,

I would like your help with a configuration that even though simple, I cannot get it to work.
I have attempted many many different variations and I cannot compose a GitVersion.yml that does the following:

• Increment version with Patch when a commit is pushed on main
• Increment version with Minor when a feature branch is merged on main

I removed any other configurations for hotfix and other non-default properties and regular expressions to keep it simple, but still the strategy followed is the increment value of the main branch which is "Patch" instead of the "Minor" which is of the merged branch

This is my GitVersion.yml

assembly-versioning-format: '{SemVer}.{ShortSha}--{CommitDate}'
assembly-informational-format: '{SemVer}.{ShortSha}--{CommitDate}'

assembly-versioning-scheme: MajorMinorPatch
assembly-file-versioning-scheme: MajorMinorPatchTag
commit-date-format: yyyy-MM-dd
update-build-number: true

strategies:
  - Fallback
  - ConfiguredNextVersion
  - MergeMessage
  - TaggedCommit
  - TrackReleaseBranches
  - VersionInBranchName

branches:
  main:
    mode: ContinuousDeployment
    label: ''
    increment: Patch
    prevent-increment:
      of-merged-branch: false
      when-branch-merged: false
      when-current-commit-tagged: true
    regex: ^master$|^main$
    is-main-branch: true
  feature:
    mode: ContinuousDelivery
    label: 'rc'
    increment: Minor
    prevent-increment:
      of-merged-branch: true
      when-branch-merged: false
      when-current-commit-tagged: true
    track-merge-target: false
    track-merge-message: true
    regex: (?<BranchName>.+)
    source-branches:
      - main
      - feature
    is-source-branch-for:
      - feature
    is-main-branch: false

dotnet-gitversion output on the main branch before merging the test-branch

%dotnet-version

{
  "AssemblySemFileVer": "4.1.9.0",
  "AssemblySemVer": "4.1.9.a03f84e--2025-02-19",
  "BranchName": "main",
  "BuildMetaData": null,
  "CommitDate": "2025-02-19",
  "CommitsSinceVersionSource": 2,
  "EscapedBranchName": "main",
  "FullBuildMetaData": "Branch.main.Sha.a03f84ed0b90f6b69c11ab98fc3d93e512d87139",
  "FullSemVer": "4.1.9",
  "InformationalVersion": "4.1.9.a03f84e--2025-02-19",
  "Major": 4,
  "MajorMinorPatch": "4.1.9",
  "Minor": 1,
  "Patch": 9,
  "PreReleaseLabel": "",
  "PreReleaseLabelWithDash": "",
  "PreReleaseNumber": null,
  "PreReleaseTag": "",
  "PreReleaseTagWithDash": "",
  "SemVer": "4.1.9",
  "Sha": "a03f84ed0b90f6b69c11ab98fc3d93e512d87139",
  "ShortSha": "a03f84e",
  "UncommittedChanges": 0,
  "VersionSourceSha": "0383b76abf3aef1c1d384db6627473b2493a5318",
  "WeightedPreReleaseNumber": 60000
}

dotnet-gitversion of the feature branch

% dotnet-gitversion
{
  "AssemblySemFileVer": "4.2.0.3",
  "AssemblySemVer": "4.2.0-rc.3.56e6a67--2025-02-19",
  "BranchName": "test-branch",
  "BuildMetaData": null,
  "CommitDate": "2025-02-19",
  "CommitsSinceVersionSource": 3,
  "EscapedBranchName": "test-branch",
  "FullBuildMetaData": "Branch.test-branch.Sha.56e6a675df1e6f2ed58d2bdc5c7dfdcd11a0dd24",
  "FullSemVer": "4.2.0-rc.3",
  "InformationalVersion": "4.2.0-rc.3.56e6a67--2025-02-19",
  "Major": 4,
  "MajorMinorPatch": "4.2.0",
  "Minor": 2,
  "Patch": 0,
  "PreReleaseLabel": "rc",
  "PreReleaseLabelWithDash": "-rc",
  "PreReleaseNumber": 3,
  "PreReleaseTag": "rc.3",
  "PreReleaseTagWithDash": "-rc.3",
  "SemVer": "4.2.0-rc.3",
  "Sha": "56e6a675df1e6f2ed58d2bdc5c7dfdcd11a0dd24",
  "ShortSha": "56e6a67",
  "UncommittedChanges": 0,
  "VersionSourceSha": "0383b76abf3aef1c1d384db6627473b2493a5318",
  "WeightedPreReleaseNumber": 30003
}

Merging a branch
% git merge test-branch
...

dotnet-gitversion with diagnostic output on the main branch after merging the test-branch

% dotnet-gitversion /diag
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:50] Please run `git log --graph --format="%h %cr %d" --decorate --date=relative --all --remotes=*` to see the git graph. This can help you troubleshoot any issues.

INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:51] Working directory: /Users/vasilis.prantzos/Projects/review-api
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:52] Project root is: /Users/vasilis.prantzos/Projects/review-api/
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:52] DotGit directory is: /Users/vasilis.prantzos/Projects/review-api/.git
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:52] Branch from build environment: 
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:52] Found configuration file at '/Users/vasilis.prantzos/Projects/review-api/GitVersion.yml'
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:58] Using latest commit on specified branch
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:63] Getting tagged semantic versions. TagPrefix: [vV]? and Format: Strict
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] Running against branch: main ('40bf003' - Merge branch 'test-branch')
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< Begin: Fetching the base versions for version calculation... >-
  INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< Begin: Calculating base versions for 'main' >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< Begin: [Using 'ConfiguredNextVersionVersionStrategy' strategy] >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< End: [Using 'ConfiguredNextVersionVersionStrategy' strategy] (Took: 0.32ms) >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< Begin: [Using 'MainlineVersionStrategy' strategy] >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< End: [Using 'MainlineVersionStrategy' strategy] (Took: 0.25ms) >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:67] -< Begin: [Using 'MergeMessageVersionStrategy' strategy] >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:70] -< End: [Using 'MergeMessageVersionStrategy' strategy] (Took: 27.45ms) >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:70] -< Begin: [Using 'TaggedCommitVersionStrategy' strategy] >-
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:70] -< Begin: Getting tagged semantic versions on branch 'refs/heads/main'. TagPrefix: [vV]? and Format: Strict >-
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:71] -< End: Getting tagged semantic versions on branch 'refs/heads/main'. TagPrefix: [vV]? and Format: Strict (Took: 0.95ms) >-
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.8': Version increment '4.1.8' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit '0383b76'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.7': Version increment '4.1.7' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit '553c03f'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.6': Version increment '4.1.6' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit '6fcaaac'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.5': Version increment '4.1.5' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit 'ba99153'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.4': Version increment '4.1.4' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit 'daaa3ad'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.3': Version increment '4.1.3' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit '4954b87'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.2': Version increment '4.1.2' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit 'a156711'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.1': Version increment '4.1.1' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit '8add235'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.1.0': Version increment '4.1.0' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit 'de07a0c'.
      INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Git tag '4.0.752': Version increment '4.0.752' +semver 'Patch' with label '' based on commit '0961991'.
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< End: [Using 'TaggedCommitVersionStrategy' strategy] (Took: 50.75ms) >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< Begin: [Using 'TrackReleaseBranchesVersionStrategy' strategy] >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< End: [Using 'TrackReleaseBranchesVersionStrategy' strategy] (Took: 0.24ms) >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< Begin: [Using 'VersionInBranchNameVersionStrategy' strategy] >-
    INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< End: [Using 'VersionInBranchNameVersionStrategy' strategy] (Took: 0.27ms) >-
  INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< End: Calculating base versions for 'main' (Took: 80.55ms) >-
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< End: Fetching the base versions for version calculation... (Took: 81.69ms) >-
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -------------------------------------------------------
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] Base version used: Git tag '4.1.8': Take '4.1.8' based on commit '0383b76'.
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -------------------------------------------------------
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:75] -< Begin: Using continuous deployment workflow to calculate the incremented version. >-
  INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:76] 4 commits found between '0383b76' - Merge branch 'WT-9010-review-moderation-notifications-with-token' into 'main' and '40bf003' - Merge branch 'test-branch'
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:76] -< End: Using continuous deployment workflow to calculate the incremented version. (Took: 1.55ms) >-
INFO [25-02-19 23:34:35:77] Found configuration file at '/Users/vasilis.prantzos/Projects/review-api/GitVersion.yml'
Executing GenerateSetVersionMessage for 'LocalBuild'.

Executing GenerateBuildLogOutput for 'LocalBuild'.
{
  "AssemblySemFileVer": "4.1.9.0",
  "AssemblySemVer": "4.1.9.40bf003--2025-02-19",
  "BranchName": "main",
  "BuildMetaData": null,
  "CommitDate": "2025-02-19",
  "CommitsSinceVersionSource": 4,
  "EscapedBranchName": "main",
  "FullBuildMetaData": "Branch.main.Sha.40bf003a7b0e378364a965881703375401ae59b8",
  "FullSemVer": "4.1.9",
  "InformationalVersion": "4.1.9.40bf003--2025-02-19",
  "Major": 4,
  "MajorMinorPatch": "4.1.9",
  "Minor": 1,
  "Patch": 9,
  "PreReleaseLabel": "",
  "PreReleaseLabelWithDash": "",
  "PreReleaseNumber": null,
  "PreReleaseTag": "",
  "PreReleaseTagWithDash": "",
  "SemVer": "4.1.9",
  "Sha": "40bf003a7b0e378364a965881703375401ae59b8",
  "ShortSha": "40bf003",
  "UncommittedChanges": 0,
  "VersionSourceSha": "0383b76abf3aef1c1d384db6627473b2493a5318",
  "WeightedPreReleaseNumber": 60000
}

And the commits from the git log are the following:

% git log --merges --oneline

40bf003 (HEAD -> main) Merge branch 'test-branch'
a03f84e Merge branch 'test-gitversion-configuration'
0383b76 (tag: 4.1.8, origin/main) Merge branch .....
.....

Please help, I am desperate, I have spent hours and even spoken with LLMs to get a clue as to what might be the problem.
I even downgraded the dotnet-gitversion tool to 5.11 and used an old configuration from an older project, but for some reason on my local git it still did not work 🤷‍♂️

[RoenLie]

This is a big issue for me as well. I would really appreciate a solution to this workflow.
Setting is-main-branch: false on the main branch allows me to run gitversion again, but I don't know what other implications that has.

[HHobeck]

Please define the workflow property explicitly. Because of backwards compatibility the GitFlow/v1 workflow will be used as default. This will be changed in the future and marked as mandatory. See the built-in configuration for the GitFlow workflow at https://gitversion.net/docs/reference/configuration.

Anyway, your test-branch is not a feature branch but treated as unknown which has the increment set to inherit.

Happy Branching!

Edit: I didn't see that you have change the regex. Does it work with the native configuration?

[prantzos]

Hey @HHobeck !

It has been such a long time that I do not remember the details of what the problems were exactly. I have kept this configuration and for now accepted that for every strategy there is a Patch bump. To override this I use the TaggedCommit strategy in any commit of a feature branch to force when that branch is merged to bump the minor version. So, I add the +semver: minor at the end of the commit message before the "refs" footer. This way all increments are patches except when explicitly stated in any commit of the merged branch.

I could have done the same in GitLab merge request configuration but there are also "hotfix-" branches merged there, so automating it this way was not a solution.

Indeed the regex in my previous post allows my feature branches to have any name. Now I use a slightly different one with a prefix, but still the increment is Patch
regex: ^(feat-.*)

I could not spend more time investigating this issue, so I accepted the solution mentioned above.