Glossary · Automation software engineering and architecture
Pull request
Also known as: Merge request, PR
German: Pull Request
In version control platforms, a pull request is a proposal to merge changes from one branch into another, used as the place for code review, discussion and automated checks before the merge.
- Software engineering
In one sentence
A pull request proposes merging a branch's changes into another branch and is where review and automated checks happen first.
Example
The developer opens a pull request for the new tool change sequence; the pipeline runs the unit tests and a second engineer reviews the code before it is merged.
How it applies
- Engineering: Pull requests bundle a change, its description, review comments and test results in one record. Branch protection can require approvals and passing checks before merging.
- Change control: The pull request record documents who changed what, why and who approved it. Linked to a ticket, it supports Change control and Traceability.
- Documentation: Teams can include a documentation check in the pull request template, asking whether the change affects the manual or the Release note. Docs-as-code teams review documentation changes through pull requests themselves.
Pull request vs. merge request
The terms mean the same; GitHub and Bitbucket use pull request, GitLab uses merge request.