git clone [email protected]:yangchenyun/backport.git
cd backport && npm install -g .

It would create a new directoy ~/.backport which contains configuration file and repositories used only for backporting.

Go to github and create an access token, and modify or create ~/.backport/config.json

{
  "accessToken": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
  "username": "yangchenyun",
  "projects": [
    {
      "upstream": "fetchrobotics/fetchcore",
      "branches": ["2018.5_stable"],  # branch to backport to 
      "own": false,
      "fromPr": true,
      "multipleCommits": true,
      "multipleBranches": true,
      "labels": ["Backport"]
    }
  ]
}

backport  // would let you select most recent ones
// or
backport --pr=7074  // if you know the pr number to select

If cherry-picking failed, go into $HOME/.backport and find the repository to merge conflicts and continue accord to the instruction.

A simple CLI tool that automates the process of backporting commits

Backporting is the action of taking parts from a newer version of a software system [..] and porting them to an older version of the same software. It forms part of the maintenance step in a software development process, and it is commonly used for fixing security issues in older versions of the software and also for providing new features to older versions.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backporting

If your development workflow looks something like this:

1. Write some code, merge those changes to master (eg. using a pull request)
2. Cherry-pick one or more commits from master onto one or more branches
3. Push those branches and a create new backport pull requests

Then backport might save you a lot of time and effort. The CLI will ask you which commit to backport, and to which branch and the cherry-pick the commit, and create a pull request towards the correct branch.

• Node 8 or higher

npm install -g backport

After installation you must update the global config in ~/.backport/config with your Github username and a Github access token. More info here

Run the CLI in your project folder (eg. in the Kibana folder):

$ backport

Follow the steps. You can use the arrow keys to choose options, <space> to select checkboxes and <enter> to proceed.

• Getting started guide
• Configuration options