Introduction

Welcome back, GitHub knowledge seekers. In this article, we would try to cover ‘What is Pull Request in GitHub?’. In our previous articles on GitHub, we saw various operations like Git Commit, Git Push, Git Pull, Git Fetch, etc. A “Pull Request” (PR) is a feature to propose and collaborate on changes to a repository. It allows you to request new changes to get added, even if you don’t have access to the repository.

What is Pull Request in GitHub?

A Pull Request (PR) in GitHub is a mechanism for proposing changes to a repository hosted on GitHub. It allows contributors to suggest modifications they’ve made in their own fork of the repository and submit those changes to the original repository for review and potential integration. Pull Requests are commonly used in collaborative development workflows to facilitate code review and collaboration among the different team members.

How does the Pull Request process work?

Now, let’s discuss the various steps involved while creating a Pull Request –

Fork the Repository

The contributor forks the original repository if they want to make any changes. This creates a personal copy (fork) of the repository under their GitHub account.

Create a New Branch

Within their forked repository, the contributor creates a new branch. This branch will contain the changes they intend to propose in the Pull Request.

Make and Commit Changes

The contributor makes the necessary code changes, additions, or deletions within the newly created branch. These changes could include bug fixes, new features, or improvements.

Push Changes to Fork

Once the changes are made and committed in the new branch, the contributor pushes these changes to their forked repository on GitHub.

Create a Pull Request

From their forked repository, the contributor initiates a Pull Request by selecting the branch containing their changes and creating a new PR. This sends a request to the original repository’s maintainers to review and potentially merge the changes.

Code Review and Discussion

The maintainers of the original repository, along with other collaborators, review the code changes proposed in the Pull Request. They can leave comments, ask questions, and suggest improvements directly in the PR.

Address Feedback and Make Updates

The contributor can respond to the feedback and address any requested changes. They make the necessary updates in the same branch of their forked repository.

Continuous Integration (Optional)

Some repositories have Continuous Integration (CI) systems in place. These systems automatically build and test the changes proposed in the PR to ensure they meet quality standards.

Merge the Pull Request

Once the code changes have been reviewed and approved, a maintainer of the original repository can merge the Pull Request. This integrates the changes from the contributor’s branch into the main branch of the original repository.

Close the Pull Request

After the changes are merged, the Pull Request is closed, and the changes become part of the main repository’s history.

Conclusion

In this article, we saw ‘What is Pull Request in GitHub?’ and how it works. Pull Requests in GitHub facilitate collaboration, code review, and maintain a structured approach to integrating changes from multiple contributors while maintaining the overall quality of the codebase.

Still, if you have any questions / queries 🤔 please comment them below and we would try our best to answer them at the earliest.

HAPPY LEARNING!! 😊