Git-managed, sym-linked development workflow

[wkoffel]

I've been developing my first few workflows, and I'm following a development model that looks like:

 

- Have a git repo somewhere on my local machine that's pushed to github.

- Symlink that directory into the Alfred workflow preferences folder

- Alfred workflow preferences is under Dropbox, so it syncs between machines.

 

A few questions have come up as I get deeper into this.

 

1. When I do an export of a workflow in Alfred preferences, so I can share the latest version with the world, does that package up the entire directory?  Meaning, all the .git directories, project history, etc?

 

2. Is this symlink model the preferred way to handle things?  Or do experienced devs find it's better to write a script to "install" a workflow standalone, because it causes less conflicts and problems. (one example is that Alleyoop won't find equipped workflows if they are symlinked, but I suspect other issues might arise with workflows or Alfred itself)

 

(update: Alleyoop 2.552 and above now respects symlinked directories)

 

Any other tips from experienced developers on git-managed workflows?

Edited May 11, 2013 by wkoffel

[wkoffel]

I realized I could sanity check this myself.  It looks like export does NOT include a copy of .git directories, so that's good at least.  Still open to pitfalls and benefits of different development models, seems like that's still an evolving art here with Alfred v2.