PullRequests

A pull request is a collaborative workflow used in many distributed version control systems, most commonly associated with Git and platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. It enables a contributor to propose changes from a source branch or fork into a target repository branch, typically the main branch, and to initiate a review and discussion around those changes.

The typical process begins when a contributor creates a branch, commits changes, and opens a pull request describing the intent and scope. Reviewers, often project maintainers or teammates, can comment on specific lines of code, request changes, approve the proposal, or vote to merge. Continuous integration systems may run tests and checks automatically as part of the review. Contributors may update the pull request with additional commits to address feedback without creating a new request.

Merging a pull request integrates the proposed changes into the target branch. Platforms offer merge strategies such as creating a merge commit, squashing commits into a single one, or rebasing the branch before merging. Conflicts must be resolved either by the contributor or maintainer before merge.

Pull requests serve multiple purposes: they provide a clear audit trail, facilitate discussion and review, encourage code quality and safety, and integrate with issue tracking and CI workflows. The concept is widely used in open source and private projects, though some platforms use different terminology, such as “merge requests” on GitLab. Best practices include writing focused, well-documented PRs and keeping branches up to date.