Trunk-based development (TBD) is a branching strategy that enhances software efficiency by minimizing merge conflicts and ensuring continuous integration. Unlike strategies like GitFlow, which can lead to long-lived feature branches and "merge hell," TBD emphasizes keeping code close to the main branch with small, short-lived branches, thus facilitating frequent updates and reducing rebase issues. Feature flags are used to manage feature rollouts safely, allowing unfinished code to be hidden without impacting the release of new features. The main branch or "trunk" serves as the source of truth, with all branches stemming from it and merging back quickly after approval. The strategy supports a culture of continuous integration, making it an attractive option for teams looking to streamline their development process without the complications of extensive merge conflicts. Integrating feature flags with TBD further reduces the complexity of releases by preventing unfinished code from affecting the final product, making it a compelling choice for managing new projects.