About working on a team

Some development cycles are simple ones in which everyone in an organization contributes to the same development project. However, a software development cycle often involves several concurrent development projects. For example:

• You may want to experiment with some changes to the graphic user interface as a result of feedback from usability testing, but are not yet sure whether to include your changes in the official builds.
• Another team may try to optimize the database schema without upsetting the current one.
• Another group may need to get a head start on a feature for the next release of the product.

Parallel development is a style of working in which teams use the same set of source files for different, concurrent development projects. The following features are provided to support parallel development:

• Version trees
• Branches
• Merging
• Sharing control of a branch in an environment by using Rational® ClearCase MultiSite®

(Sharing control of a branch with developers at other sites is necessary only if your project manager or Rational ClearCase MultiSite administrator directs you.)