Pulse Naming Conventions – Azure

Overview

To ensure seamless tracking of development progress, LinearB’s Pulse automatically associates Git activity (branches, commits, and pull requests) with work items in Azure Boards. This association enables teams to maintain clear visibility over their development efforts, ensuring that each piece of work is linked to the correct issue.

For Pulse to correctly match Git activity to Azure work items, developers should follow a consistent naming convention when creating branches and pull requests (PRs). This article outlines the recommended format to use when working with Azure DevOps.

Branch and PR Naming Conventions

To ensure accurate tracking, branch and PR names must include the **Azure Boards work item ID**. Work item IDs in Azure Boards are numeric (e.g., `1234`) and should be placed at the beginning of the branch name, followed by a short descriptive title.

Recommended Format

<work-item-ID>-<descriptive-title>

Example Naming Conventions

For PR titles, the work item ID should also be included:

• PR Title Example: Implement user authentication (Work Item 1234)

Matching Git Work to Azure Boards Work Items

LinearB’s Pulse matching algorithm automatically detects the work item ID in the following locations:

1. Branch Names

If a branch is named using the recommended format (e.g., 1234-add-user-authentication), Pulse will recognize that this branch is related to Work Item 1234 in Azure Boards.

2. Pull Request (PR) Titles

If a PR title contains the work item ID, Pulse can still associate the PR with the corresponding Azure work item, even if the branch name doesn’t follow the correct convention.

3. Commit Messages

While branch names and PR titles are the primary sources for work item matching, including the work item ID in commit messages provides an additional layer of tracking.

Example Commit Message:

Refactored authentication flow to support OAuth (Work Item 1234)

By following this structure, developers ensure that all work is accurately reflected in LinearB’s Pulse View, improving visibility and reporting.

Benefits of Using Naming Conventions

Adopting a standard naming convention provides multiple advantages:

✅ Automatic Issue Linking – Pulse automatically associates branches and PRs with Azure Boards work items, reducing manual tracking.

✅ Enhanced Pulse View Tracking – Ensures development work is correctly categorized in LinearB’s Pulse view.

✅ Improved Collaboration – Developers and stakeholders can quickly identify what each branch and PR is related to.

✅ Streamlined Workflow – Facilitates smoother Git workflows and ensures consistency across repositories.

Best Practices for Naming Branches and PRs

To maximize tracking accuracy and ensure smooth collaboration, follow these best practices:

✔ Always include the Azure Boards work item ID when creating a branch.

✔ Use clear, descriptive titles to indicate the nature of the change.

✔ If a branch was named incorrectly, ensure the PR title contains the correct work item ID.

✔ Standardize naming conventions across teams and repositories.

✔ Educate developers on the importance of consistent naming conventions.