# Development environment and branches

**URL:** <https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506>\
**Category:** Other\
**Created:** [June 25, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506 "2026-06-25T19:57:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Luis\_Daniel\_Briceno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@Luis\_Daniel\_Briceno](https://forum.hercules.app/u/Luis_Daniel_Briceno)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506/1 "2026-06-25T19:57:47Z")

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I have a question about when to use a development environment and when to use a branch, what the cases are for each, what differentiates them, and if there are any practical examples. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Arnav](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.hercules.app/arnav/32/8_2.png) [@Arnav](https://forum.hercules.app/u/Arnav)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506/4 "2026-06-26T18:49:37Z")

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A development deployment is a separate backend (its own database, secrets, and URL). Use it when:

1. Testing a migration or schema change against throwaway data
2. Experimenting with a new integration or API key
3. Letting teammates try a feature without polluting production data
4. Key trait: the database starts empty (nothing copied from production, unless you clone it manually).

A branch is a full copy of your app (code + isolated backend) that you can merge back into main. Use it when:

1. Testing a risky change or large rework before it reaches your main app
2. Letting the Agent work on a feature in the background while you keep building on main
3. Running several efforts in parallel, each on its own branch
4. Testing against a copy of your real data (via “Replicate production data”)  
Key trait: changes are mergeable back into main; if you don’t like them, just close the branch.

More info:

> **[Environments - Hercules](https://hercules.app/docs/apps/environments)**
>
> Build stunning apps and websites by chatting with AI

> **[Branches - Hercules](https://hercules.app/docs/apps/branches)**
>
> Build stunning apps and websites by chatting with AI

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**Author:** ![Brendan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.hercules.app/brendan/32/60_2.png) [@Brendan](https://forum.hercules.app/u/Brendan)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506/5 "2026-06-28T21:16:03Z")

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Luis - great question. We are deprecating"deployments". We strongly recommend you use branches for most things instead. Deployments was always a temporary thing until we got branches live.

The way it will work is there will be a prod, staging, and dev environment. And we will have one deployment for prod, one for staging, and unlimited for dev (branches).

Let me know if this makes sense!

Feel free to email us about your workflow. I’d love to learn more

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**Author:** ![Luis\_Daniel\_Briceno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@Luis\_Daniel\_Briceno](https://forum.hercules.app/u/Luis_Daniel_Briceno)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506/6 "2026-06-29T17:15:25Z")

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Hi, I think this is a great idea, and along with the recently released tests, this will make software releases safer and reduce errors in production. Thanks, team! 🙂

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**Author:** ![Brendan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.hercules.app/brendan/32/60_2.png) [@Brendan](https://forum.hercules.app/u/Brendan)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2026, 8:48pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506/7 "2026-06-29T20:48:58Z")

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Awesome!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/hercules/original/1X/b59059ef07092568242d82c66f7254e227d32b54.png) [@system](https://forum.hercules.app/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://forum.hercules.app/t/development-environment-and-branches/506/8 "2026-09-27T20:49:54Z")

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