Pull Request | Research Workflow Guidebook

What a Pull Request means

A Pull Request, often shortened to PR, is not a separate Git command. It is a GitHub workflow built on top of Git branches, commits, and merges.

A PR asks GitHub to compare one branch with another branch. Usually, your work branch is the compare branch, and main is the base branch that will receive the work.

Use a Pull Request when another person should review the work, when the change is large, or when you want a clear discussion record before merging.

Push the branch to GitHub

Before you can open a Pull Request, the branch must be uploaded to GitHub.

git push -u origin draft-section

The -u option connects your local branch with the branch on GitHub. After that, you can usually use git push on the same branch.

Open a Pull Request

After pushing the branch, GitHub may show a Compare & pull request button. Click it to start the PR.

GitHub repository page showing a Compare and pull request button

Check the branch direction carefully. The base branch is the branch that will receive the changes, usually main. The compare branch is the branch that contains your work.

GitHub pull request comparison page showing base and compare branches

Write a short title and description. The title should name the work, and the description should explain what changed or what the reviewer should check.

GitHub page for creating a pull request with title and description fields

Review the Pull Request

After the Pull Request is created, GitHub keeps the discussion, commits, checks, and merge status in one place.

Use the changed files view to inspect the exact differences before merging. Reviewers can leave comments, approve the PR, or request changes.

GitHub pull request page showing changed files for review

If someone requests changes, return to the same branch, edit the files, commit the fix, and push again.

git add .
git commit -m "Address review comments"
git push

The Pull Request updates automatically after the new commit is pushed to the same branch.

Merge the Pull Request

When the review is finished and the branch is ready, merge the Pull Request on GitHub. After the PR is merged, main contains the branch work.

Return to VS Code and update your local main branch.

git switch main
git pull

If the branch is no longer needed, delete it after confirming that the merge is complete.

Do not treat a Pull Request as just another way to push. Its value is review: checking the branch direction, reading the file differences, discussing the change, and merging only when the work is ready.