Possible caching when switching branch using Git

Our team uses Git (more precisely: Bitbucket on server side) in combination with ReadyApi.

 

We experience this is not a perfect combination, even when using composite project setting.

 

To avoid merge conflicts we have the following appointment in our team:

 

a - for each change, a team member creates a new branch to commit changes

 

b - to commit changes, only files containing relevant changes should be committed. However, it is hard to determine which files are relevant and which ones are not. Even minimal changes like expanding or collapsing navigator items - or just opening the project - leads to changes.

 

c - to enable the changes, team member makes a pull request on Bitbucket, 

 

d - another team member reviews change(s) by checking out the new branch and running the project locally. It is practically impossible to do the checkout using ReadyApi, because opening the project leads to a notion of uncommitted changes, and these are impossible to revert, even when using the revert option.

 

e - after approval, committing team member merges the branch with main branch.

 

For step b, when only a new testcase is added to an existing testsuite we expect to add/update only following files:

- add new testcase file

- update element.order file of relevant testsuite directory

 

I have been reviewing a pull request for adding a new test case. To do this I checked out the new remote branch using Sourcetree. After that I opened the project with ReadyApi. To my surprise I did not see the new testcase in the relevant place. If I look at the element.order file at Bitbucket (server side) I see the expected changes in element.order file. Also locally it has the expected changes. If I save the project, the file element.order is changed to a reflexion of what I see in ReadyApi. This is confusing me.

 

I am wondering:

- is some caching mechanism active which I am not aware of?

- did I do something wrong in the order of steps? Or did I miss something else?

- or am I just slightly going mad?

 

In case of the first option, how is this to be avoided?

In case of the second, could anyone give the right procedure for committing relevant files, and checking out other branches in ReadyApi. This is very important, as we should be trustful of our committed changes.

In case of the third, just politely remind me that I overlooked something. No other actions needed.

 

Regards,

Albert