After merging a new feature into 'dev', what is the next step to integrate the feature into the production 'master' branch?

To integrate a new feature into the production 'master' branch after it has been merged into 'dev', the correct approach is to merge 'dev' into 'master'. This process ensures that all the changes, including the new feature as well as any other updates that have been made in 'dev', are incorporated into the stable production environment represented by 'master'.

Merging 'dev' into 'master' keeps the history of changes intact and maintains a clear record of what has been added to the production branch. After merging, it is common practice to delete the feature branch if it is no longer needed, as it helps maintain a clean repository and prevents clutter from unused branches.

The choice to create a new feature branch from 'master' and merge it back into 'dev' does not facilitate the integration of the feature into production, as it introduces an unnecessary step. Deleting the feature branch without merging would result in the loss of changes made in that feature, which is counterproductive. Directly merging the feature branch into 'master' skips incorporating other changes that might have been added into 'dev', potentially causing inconsistencies and conflicts in the code base.

Thus, merging 'dev' into 'master' is the most systematic and reliable approach to