What is "Manage branch files"?
The "Manage branch files" feature lets you safely update files in your environment branch that aren't part of your application configuration. This includes files like:
README.md
GitHub Action workflows
Automated testing scripts
Documentation files
CI/CD configurations
Why can't I just update these files directly in Git?
Important: If you update branch files directly in your Git repository (through GitHub, GitLab, etc.), Salto will lose the ability to synchronize with that branch. When this happens, Salto must roll back all commits to the last point where it could successfully update the branch. This means you could lose work and create conflicts.
Think of it this way: Salto needs to be the one "driving" when it comes to updates on your environment branch, even for non-configuration files.
The correct process
Create a feature branch in your Git repository (not directly on your environment branch)
Name it something descriptive like
update-readmeorfix-github-workflow
Make your changes on the feature branch and commit them
Make sure your changes do not include any
.naclfiles or other application configuration changes
Create a Pull Request from your feature branch to your environment branch
Navigate to Salto:
Go to your environment's Settings tab
Select Version Control
Click the "Select pull request to merge" button under "Manage branch files"
Select your PR and let Salto merge it
That's it! Salto will safely merge your changes while maintaining synchronization.
What if I already updated files directly?
If you've already committed changes directly to your environment branch, you'll need to roll back those commits to the last point where Salto could successfully update the branch. Contact support if you need help with this recovery process.
Quick reminder
✅ Do: Create a feature branch → Create a PR → Use "Manage branch files"
❌ Don't: Commit directly to the environment branch or include .nacl files in your PR