Contents
What are Merge Requests and Pull Requests? An Easy-to-Understand Explanation of the Basic Concepts of GitHub and GitLab
When it comes to version control systems like Git, two terms you’ll often come across are “merge requests” and “pull requests.” These concepts play a crucial role in the collaborative development process, especially in platforms like GitHub and GitLab. In this blog post, we’ll delve into what merge requests and pull requests are, and how they are used in these popular platforms.
Merge Requests
Merge requests are an essential aspect of the Git workflow, allowing developers to propose changes to a project’s codebase. In simpler terms, a merge request enables one developer to ask another developer or a team to review and merge their code changes into a shared codebase. This process facilitates collaboration and ensures that any code contributed to the project is reviewed and approved by the team before integration.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how merge requests work:
- A developer works on a branch, making changes to the codebase.
- Once the changes are complete, the developer creates a merge request, which triggers a review process by the team.
- During the review, team members provide feedback, suggest improvements, and address any concerns they may have.
- If the changes are deemed satisfactory, the code is merged into the main branch, integrating the developer’s changes into the project.
- At this point, the changes become part of the project’s codebase and are available to all team members.
Pull Requests
Pull requests, on the other hand, are a concept specific to platforms such as GitHub and GitLab.
A pull request serves a similar purpose to a merge request — it allows developers to propose changes to a codebase. However, pull requests on platforms like GitHub and GitLab add an extra layer of functionality and collaboration. They provide a space where developers can discuss, review, and make constructive comments about the changes they propose.
Here’s how the process of pull requests typically unfolds:
- A developer forks a project’s repository and creates a branch to work on their changes.
- The developer makes the necessary changes and commits those changes to their branch.
- Once the changes are complete, the developer submits a pull request to the original project’s repository.
- The pull request triggers a review process, where team members can discuss the changes, offer suggestions, and address any concerns.
- Once the changes have been reviewed and approved, they can be merged into the main project’s repository, thus incorporating the contributions made by the developer.
It’s important to note that merge requests and pull requests refer to the same concept but are specific to different platforms like GitLab and GitHub. However, the underlying purpose of both is to facilitate collaboration and ensure the quality of code before integration into the main codebase.
In conclusion, merge requests and pull requests are integral to a collaborative development workflow in version control systems like Git. They provide a structured process that ensures code contribution is properly reviewed, appreciated, and integrated into a project’s codebase. By leveraging these concepts, developers can collaborate effectively, maintain code quality, and streamline the development process.
Reference Articles
Read also
[Google Chrome] The definitive solution for right-click translations that no longer come up.