A pull request (PR) — or merge request — is a request to merge changes from one branch into another, providing a place for code review, discussion, and automated checks before integration. PRs are central to modern collaborative development and code quality.
What a pull request is
A PR proposes merging a branch (e.g. a feature) into another (e.g. main):
→ shows the DIFF (what changed), a description, and discussion
→ reviewers comment, request changes, or approve
→ CI runs automated checks (tests, linting, builds) on the PR
→ once approved + checks pass → MERGE into the target branch
→ It's a gate and collaboration point before code is integrated.
