Pull Request

A pull request (PR, called a merge request on GitLab) is a request to merge the commits on one branch into another, usually main. It creates a page where teammates can see the diff, comment on lines and approve or reject the change.

Why it matters

Pull requests are where code review and automation meet. Automated checks such as tests and linters run on the PR, and reviewers catch problems before they reach production. The discussion also leaves a written record of why a change was made.

Example

A typical flow:

1. Create a branch and push it.
2. Open a PR titled "Fix timeout on checkout page" with a short description.
3. CI runs tests and reports a green or red status.
4. A teammate requests one change; you push another commit.
5. After approval, the PR is merged and the branch deleted.

Common mistakes

• Opening enormous PRs that nobody can review properly; smaller ones merge faster and with fewer defects.
• Leaving the description empty so reviewers must guess the intent.
• Merging while required checks are failing or before addressing review comments.

Related

• Code review
• Git branch
• CI/CD
• Merge conflict

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