Git Strategy for Multi-Project SaaS Templates: The Upstream Approach

When developing multiple SaaS applications that share a common codebase, managing updates and maintaining consistency across projects can be challenging. This article explores a powerful Git strategy using upstream remotes to handle this scenario effectively.

The Challenge

Imagine you're building several SaaS applications that share common functionality:

• Authentication system

• Payment processing

• User management

• Core UI components

• Basic analytics

You want to maintain these features in a base repository while allowing each project to:

• Stay synchronized with base updates

• Add custom features

• Override specific functionalities

• Maintain its own development pace

The Upstream Strategy

The upstream strategy involves maintaining a base repository and connecting individual project repositories to it through Git remotes. This approach offers a structured way to manage code sharing and updates.

Basic Setup

# Initialize base repository
git init saas-base
cd saas-base
# Add your base code
git add .
git commit -m "Initial base commit"
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/saas-base.git
git push -u origin main

# Create and initialize project repository
git init project-a
cd project-a
# Add remote for your project repository
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/project-a.git
# Add base repository as upstream
git remote add upstream https://github.com/username/saas-base.git
# Get base code
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main

Update Workflow

To sync with base repository updates:

# Fetch updates from base
git fetch upstream
# Merge updates into main branch
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
# Update project-specific branch
git checkout project
git merge main

Advantages

Challenges and Solutions

Best Practices

Copy
/src
  /core        # Base functionality
  /features    # Project-specific features
  /overrides   # Base feature customizations
  /config      # Project configuration

Copy
main          # Synced with upstream
├── develop   # Development branch
└── feature/* # Feature branches

• Regular scheduled updates

• Emergency security patches

• Feature-driven updates

• Clear update logs

• Breaking change notifications

• Migration guides

When to Use This Strategy

This approach is ideal when:

• Multiple projects share significant common functionality

• Base features need regular updates

• Projects require significant customization

• Team structure supports maintained base code

When to Avoid

Consider alternatives when:

• Projects have minimal shared code

• Updates are infrequent

• Projects diverge significantly

• Team resources are limited

Conclusion

The upstream strategy provides a robust solution for managing multiple SaaS projects with shared code. While it requires initial setup and careful management, the benefits of maintainable, updateable code across projects make it a valuable approach for growing SaaS ecosystems.

Remember that successful implementation relies on:

• Clear communication about updates

• Well-defined processes

• Good documentation

• Regular maintenance

• Team buy-in

When properly implemented, this strategy can significantly reduce development overhead and maintain consistency across your SaaS portfolio while allowing for necessary customization and independent project evolution.