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About pull requests

Use pull requests to propose, discuss, and merge changes on GitHub.

In this article

A pull request proposes merging code changes from one branch into another. As a collaborative feature, pull requests give you a place to discuss and review work before it becomes part of a project.

Why use pull requests

Pull requests turn a set of code changes into a conversation. Instead of merging work directly, you propose it so that collaborators can weigh in. This helps you and your team maintain high quality and secure code, in a few ways:

  • Catch bugs and problems early, before they reach the main branch.
  • Discuss and improve changes together, with feedback tied to specific lines.
  • Keep a clear, reviewable history of what changed and why.

What you can do with pull requests

Pull requests make your changes easy to review and validate. With a pull request, you can:

  • Propose changes from a branch or a fork.
  • Discuss and review the proposed changes, line by line.
  • Run automated checks, such as tests, builds, and code scanning, against the changes.
  • Respond to feedback and update the pull request as it evolves.
  • Merge the changes once reviews and required checks are satisfied.

Key parts of a pull request

A pull request gathers everything you and your reviewers need into one place:

  • Conversation shows the description, comments, reviews, and a timeline of activity.
  • Commits shows how the branch changed over time.
  • Checks shows the results of automated tests, builds, and other validations.
  • Files changed shows the diff that reviewers comment on.
  • The merge box summarizes whether you can merge your changes or not. It shows what may still need to happen, such as required reviews or checks, before a pull request can be merged.

How pull requests fit your workflow

Whether you're proposing changes or reviewing someone else's, a pull request follows a few stages:

  • Branch or fork the repository to create an isolated place to work.
  • Commit your changes as you go, building up a history of your work.
  • Open a pull request to propose merging your changes into the base branch.
  • Review and discuss the changes with collaborators, making updates as needed.
  • Merge the pull request when it's ready.

Next steps