Pull Requests and Workflows of Large Teams

Lecture 122:- Pull Requests and Workflows of Large Teams

Pull requests (PRs) are a central feature of Git-based workflows, especially in large teams where several contributors work on the same project. A pull request is a request to merge changes made in a branch into another branch, typically the main branch. The main branch in Git is usually called "master" or "main" depending on the naming convention of the project.

The workflow of a PR usually follows these steps:

1. A contributor creates a new branch from the main branch, makes changes to the code, and pushes the branch to the remote repository.
2. The contributor creates a pull request for their branch on the remote repository, specifying the target branch (usually the main branch).
3. Other contributors and maintainers review the changes in the PR, discuss any issues or suggestions, and may request changes.
4. The contributor makes any necessary changes and pushes the updated branch to the remote repository. The PR is automatically updated with the new changes.
5. Once the changes have been reviewed and approved by other contributors and maintainers, the PR is merged into the target branch.

Large teams may have different workflows for managing PRs, depending on their development methodology and project requirements. Some teams may require that all changes be reviewed and approved by a designated team member before they are merged into the main branch. Others may use automated testing tools to ensure that changes meet certain quality standards before they are merged.

One popular workflow used by large teams is the "fork and pull" model. In this model, each contributor forks the main repository into their own account, creates a branch for their changes, and then submits a pull request to the main repository. This model allows each contributor to work independently on their own branch, while also providing a centralized location for reviewing and approving changes.

Another popular workflow is the "feature branch" model, where each contributor creates a new branch for each feature or issue they are working on. This model allows for easier management of changes and helps prevent conflicts between different changes being made at the same time.

Overall, PRs are an essential tool for managing changes in Git-based workflows, allowing for easy collaboration between multiple contributors and ensuring that changes are properly reviewed and approved before they are merged into the main branch.