What is a best practice for working with a source control system to reduce integration issues?

Merging code often is recognized as a best practice in source control systems primarily because it fosters continuous integration and minimizes the likelihood of integration issues. When developers merge their code changes into the main branch frequently, it allows them to share updates regularly, reducing the complexity of the integration process. This practice helps to identify conflicts and issues early, making them easier to resolve rather than accumulating over time into a larger, more complicated problem.

Regular merging also encourages collaboration and ensures that everyone is working with the latest version of the code, enhancing teamwork. Furthermore, it supports better version control, as changes are tracked in smaller increments, leading to clearer documentation and easier debugging if problems arise. Overall, frequent merging promotes a more fluid development process and contributes to a more robust and maintainable codebase.