Pull Request in Git

Using Pull Requests in Git is a necessary skill for collaborative software development. Here's a guide on how to effectively use Pull Requests. Your team may or may not use pull requests in your development process. Different teams leverage the capabilities of Git in different ways. Regardless, it is important for you to be familiar with this topic since they are commonly used, particularly among larger software projects.

Understanding Pull Requests

A Pull Request (PR) is a method in Git for requesting that changes you've made in a branch be merged into another branch, typically the main branch. It's a key part of the collaborative development process, allowing for code review, discussion, and amendments before changes are integrated into the main codebase.

This video provides an overview of how Pull Requests are used in software development teams.

Steps for Using Pull Requests

  1. Create a Feature Branch: Before you start working on a new feature or fix, create a new branch from the main branch. This keeps your changes organized and separate from the main codebase.
  2. Make Changes and Commit: Work on your feature in this new branch. Regularly commit your changes with descriptive commit messages.
  3. Push Your Branch: Once your feature is complete, push the branch to the remote repository.
  4. Create the Pull Request: Go to the repository on your Git platform (like GitHub) and click on 'New Pull Request'. Select your feature branch as the source and the main branch as the destination.
  5. Describe Your Changes: In the Pull Request, provide a clear description of the changes you've made. Include any relevant issue numbers.
  6. Request Reviewers: Select colleagues to review your changes. This ensures that your code is checked by others before merging.
  7. Address Feedback: Reviewers might provide feedback or request changes. Address these comments and make necessary changes to your branch.
  8. Merge the Pull Request: Once your changes are approved, you can merge the Pull Request into the main branch. This is typically done using the merge button in the Git platform interface.
  9. Close the Feature Branch: After merging, you can close the feature branch.

Watch the following video for more guidance on working with Pull Requests