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Pull Request

A method of submitting code changes for review before merging into the main branch. Also known as merge request (MR) in GitLab.

Definition

A pull request (PR) is a feature of version control platforms that lets developers notify team members that they've completed a feature or fix. It creates a dedicated forum for discussing the proposed changes, running automated tests, and reviewing code line-by-line. PRs are central to modern collaborative development workflows and form the foundation for code review practices.

Why It Matters

Pull requests provide a structured way to review code before it enters the main codebase. They create an audit trail of all changes, facilitate knowledge sharing, and integrate with CI/CD pipelines for automated testing. According to GitHub, repositories with required PR reviews have 40% fewer bugs in production.

Example

A developer creates a PR to add a payment processing feature. The PR triggers automated tests, receives comments from two reviewers, gets approved, and is merged into main.

Related Terms

pull requestwhat is pull requestPRpull request meaningGitHub pull request

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