Pull Requests

Pull Requests: A Team Git Workflow Guide

What is a Pull Request?

A Pull Request (PR) is a way to propose changes to a codebase in a team environment. Instead of directly pushing changes to the main branch, developers:

  1. Create a separate branch for their work
  2. Make and commit their changes on that branch
  3. Request that their changes be “pulled” into the main branch
  4. Wait for review and approval from team members
  5. Merge the changes after approval

This workflow prevents conflicts, ensures code quality through review, and maintains a stable main branch.

The Pull Request Flow

sequenceDiagram
    participant Dev as Developer
    participant LB as Local Branch
    participant RB as Remote Branch
    participant PR as Pull Request
    participant Rev as Reviewer/Lead Dev
    participant Main as Main Branch
    
    Dev->>LB: 1. Create feature branch
    Dev->>LB: 2. Write code & commit
    Dev->>RB: 3. Push branch to remote
    Dev->>PR: 4. Create Pull Request
    PR->>Rev: 5. Notify reviewer
    Rev->>PR: 6. Review code
    
    alt Changes Requested
        Rev->>Dev: Request changes
        Dev->>LB: Make changes
        Dev->>RB: Push updates
        RB->>PR: PR automatically updates
        Rev->>PR: Re-review
    end
    
    Rev->>PR: 7. Approve PR
    Rev->>Main: 8. Merge to main branch
    Main->>Dev: 9. Pull latest main
    Dev->>LB: 10. Delete feature branch

Step-by-Step Process

Phase 1: Developer Creates Feature Branch and Makes Changes

Who: Developer working on a new feature or bug fix

What happens:

  • Developer creates a new branch from main (e.g., “feature/add-login”)
  • Makes changes and commits them locally
  • Pushes the branch to the remote repository
  • Opens a Pull Request

Phase 2: Review and Approval

Who: Senior Developer, Team Lead, or designated Reviewer

What happens:

  • Reviewer receives notification about the PR
  • Reviews the code changes, looking for:
    • Code quality and standards
    • Bugs or potential issues
    • Test coverage
    • Documentation
  • Either approves or requests changes

Phase 3: Merge

Who: Reviewer or the Developer (depending on team policy)

What happens:

  • Once approved, the PR is merged into main
  • The feature branch can be deleted
  • All team members pull the latest main branch

GUI Instructions by IDE

Visual Studio 2022

Creating a Pull Request

  1. Create and Switch to a New Branch
    • Go to: Git → New Branch
    • Enter branch name (e.g., “feature/my-feature”)
    • Check “Checkout branch”
    • Click Create
  2. Make Your Changes and Commit
    • Make your code changes
    • Go to: Git → Commit or Stash
    • Enter commit message
    • Click Commit All
  3. Push Your Branch
    • Go to: Git → Push
    • If first push: Git → Push Branch
  4. Create Pull Request
    • Go to: Git → Manage Branches
    • Right-click your branch → Create Pull Request
    • Or visit your repository on GitHub/Azure DevOps
    • Fill in PR title and description
    • Select reviewers
    • Click Create

Reviewing and Approving a Pull Request

  1. Open Pull Requests View
    • Go to: Git → Manage Pull Requests
    • Or: View → Git Changes → Pull Requests tab
  2. Review the PR
    • Click on the PR to view
    • View Files Changed to see code differences
    • Add comments on specific lines if needed
  3. Approve and Merge
    • Click Approve button
    • Click Complete or Merge button
    • Choose merge type (usually “Merge commit”)
    • Confirm merge

Visual Studio Code

Creating a Pull Request

  1. Create and Switch to a New Branch
    • Click the branch name in the bottom-left status bar
    • Select Create new branch
    • Enter branch name
    • Press Enter
  2. Make Your Changes and Commit
    • Make your code changes
    • Click the Source Control icon (left sidebar)
    • Enter commit message in the text box
    • Click the checkmark ✓ above the message box
  3. Push Your Branch
    • Click the ... menu in Source Control
    • Select Push
    • If first push, select Publish Branch
  4. Create Pull Request
    • Install “GitHub Pull Requests” extension (if using GitHub)
    • Click the GitHub icon in left sidebar
    • Click Create Pull Request
    • Or: Click notification that appears after pushing
    • Fill in PR details
    • Click Create

Reviewing and Approving a Pull Request

  1. Open Pull Requests View
    • Click GitHub/GitLab icon in left sidebar
    • View list of Pull Requests
  2. Review the PR
    • Click on the PR
    • Select Description to read details
    • Select Changes to view code differences
    • Right-click lines to add comments
  3. Approve and Merge
    • Click Approve in the PR view
    • Click Merge Pull Request
    • Choose merge method
    • Click Confirm Merge

Android Studio

Creating a Pull Request

  1. Create and Switch to a New Branch
    • Go to: Git → Branches (or click branch name in bottom-right)
    • Click New Branch
    • Enter branch name
    • Click Create
  2. Make Your Changes and Commit
    • Make your code changes
    • Go to: Git → Commit (or press Ctrl+K / Cmd+K)
    • Select files to commit
    • Enter commit message
    • Click Commit
  3. Push Your Branch
    • Go to: Git → Push (or press Ctrl+Shift+K / Cmd+Shift+K)
    • Confirm push dialog
  4. Create Pull Request
    • After pushing, Android Studio may show a notification
    • Click Create Pull Request in notification
    • Or: Go to Git → GitHub → Create Pull Request
    • Fill in PR title and description
    • Select reviewers
    • Click Create Pull Request

Reviewing and Approving a Pull Request

  1. Open Pull Requests View
    • Go to: Git → GitHub → View Pull Requests
    • Or: Bottom toolbar → Pull Requests tab
  2. Review the PR
    • Double-click the PR to open
    • Click Files Changed tab
    • Review code differences
    • Right-click lines to add comments
  3. Approve and Merge
    • Click Approve or Review → Approve
    • Click Merge button
    • Select merge type
    • Click Confirm Merge

Comparison Table: GUI vs CLI

Action Visual Studio 2022 VS Code Android Studio Git CLI
Create Branch Git → New Branch Click branch icon (bottom-left) → Create new branch Git → Branches → New Branch git checkout -b branch-name
Commit Changes Git → Commit or Stash Source Control → Enter message → ✓ Git → Commit or Ctrl+K git commit -m "message"
Push Branch Git → Push Source Control ... → Push Git → Push or Ctrl+Shift+K git push origin branch-name
Create PR Git → Manage Branches → Right-click → Create Pull Request GitHub icon → Create Pull Request Git → GitHub → Create Pull Request Done on GitHub/GitLab website
View PRs Git → Manage Pull Requests GitHub icon → PR list Git → GitHub → View Pull Requests Done on GitHub/GitLab website
Merge PR PR view → Complete/Merge PR view → Merge Pull Request PR view → Merge git checkout main + git merge branch-name

Common Team Workflows

Feature Branch Workflow

  • Each feature/bug fix gets its own branch
  • Developer creates PR when ready
  • Reviewer approves and merges
  • Branch is deleted after merge

GitFlow Workflow

  • Similar but with additional branches:
    • main: production-ready code
    • develop: integration branch
    • feature/*: new features
    • release/*: release preparation
    • hotfix/*: urgent fixes

Forking Workflow

  • Used in open-source projects
  • Contributors fork the repository
  • Create PR from fork to original repo
  • Maintainers review and merge

Best Practices

  1. Keep PRs Small: Easier to review, faster to merge
  2. Write Clear Descriptions: Explain what and why
  3. Add Tests: Ensure your code works
  4. Respond to Feedback: Address reviewer comments promptly
  5. Keep Branch Updated: Regularly merge main into your feature branch
  6. Delete Merged Branches: Keep repository clean
  7. Use Draft PRs: For work-in-progress that needs early feedback

Key Differences from Solo Development

Solo Development Team Development with PRs
Push directly to main Push to feature branches
No review process Code review required
Less structured Formal approval process
Immediate changes Changes must be approved
No merge conflicts (if solo) Must resolve conflicts with team’s work
Less documentation PR descriptions document changes

Summary

Pull Requests transform Git from a version control system into a collaboration platform. They ensure that:

  • Code is reviewed before merging
  • Multiple developers can work without conflicts
  • The main branch stays stable
  • Team members learn from each other’s code
  • Changes are documented and traceable

This is the foundation of modern software team collaboration!