The Dynamics of Mob Programming

mobprog.md

The Dynamics of Mob Programming

In a nutshell

Before you start:

• Make sure you have whatchexec installed
• Checkout the working branch
• Use your favorite editor/IDE!

When you're the pilot:

• Start watchexec:

watchexec -- bash mobprog.sh

• Share your screen
• Loop over this for a few minutes:
  • Discuss ideas with the mob
  • Write some code (tests are code too)
  • Save your changes (mobprog.sh runs and commits and pushes all changes)
• Unshare your screen
• Stop watchexec and make no further changes until you're the pilot again

When you're a copilot:

• Watch the pilot's shared screen
• Try and be helpful to the pilot
• Discuss ideas with the mob
• Resist the temptation to type (wait your turn)

Once you're done

• Reorganize the changes by either squashing the commits or creating new ones
• Don't forget to include other members as co-authors of the commits, e.g.:

  Co-authored-by: Frank Costello <frank@mob.io>
  Co-authored-by: Tony Montana <tony@mob.io>
  Co-authored-by: Tuco Salamanca <tuco@mob.io>
  

mobprog.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

echo "###############################################################################"

BRANCH=$(git branch | grep \* | cut -d ' ' -f2)
echo "Current branch: $BRANCH"

echo "Pulling the latest changes from the remote repository..."
git pull --no-rebase origin "$BRANCH"

echo "Committing all changes to the local repository..."
git add .
git commit -m "wippy wip, mobby wip"

echo "Pushing all changes to the remote repository..."
git push origin "$BRANCH"

echo "Done for now!"

mobprog.svg