Pull Request vs Merge

Pull Request & Merge Request

“Pull Request” and “Merge Request” are terms used in different version control systems to refer to the same concept, although the terminology can vary based on the platform being used. The two terms are used interchangeably to describe the process of requesting changes from one branch to be merged into another branch. Let’s break down the concepts:

Pull Request (PR):

A Pull Request is a feature provided by platforms like GitHub and Bitbucket, where developers can propose changes they have made in their forked repositories to be merged into the original repository. The steps typically involved in a Pull Request process are:

  1. A developer forks the original repository to their personal GitHub or Bitbucket account.
  2. They create a new branch in their forked repository to work on their changes.
  3. After making changes, they push the changes to the branch in their forked repository.
  4. The developer then opens a Pull Request from their branch in their forked repository to a specific branch (usually the main or master branch) in the original repository.
  5. Other developers and reviewers can review the changes, leave comments, and discuss the code within the Pull Request.
  6. If the changes are approved, the changes are merged into the target branch.

Merge Request (MR):

A Merge Request is a concept used by GitLab. It is essentially the same as a Pull Request, but the terminology is different. The process is quite similar:

  1. A developer creates a branch in their forked repository to work on changes.
  2. After making changes, they push the changes to the branch in their forked repository.
  3. The developer opens a Merge Request from their branch in their forked repository to a specific branch in the original repository.
  4. Other developers and reviewers can review the changes, provide feedback, and discuss the code within the Merge Request.
  5. Once the changes are approved, they are merged into the target branch.

In summary, both Pull Requests and Merge Requests serve the same purpose: to facilitate the process of proposing changes and getting them reviewed and merged into a codebase. The terminology used depends on the version control platform being used, with “Pull Request” being more commonly associated with GitHub and Bitbucket, and “Merge Request” being used in GitLab.