Competition Code Freeze and Recovery Workflow

Know when to stop changing code and how to recover.

Team Workflow and Competition ReadinessTeam

In this lesson, you will:

Create a code freeze rule.
Use a pre-match checklist.
Identify rollback point.

Concept narrative

Competition readiness is the ability to run known code under pressure. The team needs stable OpMode names, tested fallbacks, driver recovery controls, and a known working commit.

Robot mental model

At events, every change has an opportunity cost. A risky late improvement can steal practice time or break a routine that already scored points.

Implementation walkthrough

Set a freeze window, define what emergency fixes are allowed, record the deployed commit, and run a pre-match checklist before every match.

PreMatchChecklist.mdJava

- Correct branch/commit deployed
- Correct robot configuration
- Correct TeleOp and Auto selected
- Battery checked
- IMU/camera status checked
- Safe-state button tested
- Rollback commit known

Common mistakes and debugging

If a late fix breaks behavior, revert calmly. If the checklist is too long to use in queue, shorten it.

Practice

Write your team’s code freeze and recovery policy, then practice it before a scrimmage.

Checkpoint

Freeze rule is written.
Checklist is usable in queue.
Rollback point is known.
The test record includes the setup, prediction, and observed result.
A teammate can repeat the check from the saved evidence without guessing.

Reflection check

Check your understanding before moving on.

Before a match, what must be recorded to make a software rollback credible?

Only the selected alliance color.

The current Driver Station screen brightness.

The deployed commit and a known previous working commit.

Why verify the active Robot Controller configuration before enabling?

Code hardware names and device assignments depend on that selected configuration.

It changes Java control flow automatically.

It makes an IMU reset unnecessary.

0 of 2 answered

References

Game Manual 0FTC community reference for programming, controls, and robot design.FIRST FTC DocsOfficial SDK, Robot Controller, and programming reference.