Teamwork is fundamental for professional software development. In this regard, Pull Requests (aka Merge Requests) are a very useful tool for integrating the changes that each team member makes in different parts of the source code. Pull Requests are integration requests made in a repository or project. They involve proposing changes that are then reviewed by other team members before being integrated. During this process, the author of the Pull Request can receive feedback and suggestions from other team members and make corrections if necessary.

Next, we will review some of the most important benefits of using this methodology.

Promote collaboration and learning

Pull Requests are an excellent way to foster collaboration within the development team. By proposing a change, it opens up the possibility for other team members to review and discuss the code, thereby providing different perspectives and solutions to a problem. This way, errors can be detected, and more efficient solutions can be found. Additionally, Pull Requests also encourage the integration of new ideas since any team member can propose changes.

Improve code quality

As they are reviewed and discussed by other team members, Pull Requests allow the detection of errors or issues in the code before they are integrated. This improves the quality and reduces the likelihood of introducing errors into the project. They also encourage writing cleaner and more manageable code, as the comments and suggestions from other team members can help improve code readability and structure.

Ease change tracking

Pull Requests allow for clear and organized tracking of proposed changes in the code. Each Pull Request has its own history of changes, discussions and revisions, which facilitates the identification of issues and errors. This way, it is easier to track and understand the changes that have been made to the code. Furthermore, the ability to comment and make suggestions on each Pull Request improves communication and change tracking by the entire team. In fact, this feature can be useful even in a solo development project.

Promote transparency

Pull Requests promote transparency in software development. Any team member can see the proposed changes and the discussions around them, making the development process more open and democratic. This also facilitates feedback and communication among team members. Transparency can also help avoid misunderstandings or conflicts within the team since all proposed changes and discussions are available to all members.

Save time and effort

Pull Requests can save time and effort in the software development process. By allowing other team members to review and suggest changes in the code, errors or issues can be detected before they are integrated into the main project, which can save time and effort in later error corrections. Similarly, Pull Requests can also help avoid duplication of work since team members can see proposed changes before starting to work on a similar task.

How can you use Pull Requests?

To use Pull Requests in a project, you need to have a repository on a platform like GitHub or GitLab. In this repository, you can create branches to work on different parts of the source code. When a change is made in a branch, a Pull Request can be created to request the integration of that change into the main branch of the project.

In the Pull Request, you should detail the changes that have been made and explain the reasons behind those changes. Then, you can add comments and suggestions for other team members to discuss and review the code. If necessary, the author can make corrections and additional changes.

When the Pull Request is approved by other team members, the change can be merged into the main branch of the project.

Conclusion

Pull Requests are a very useful methodology for team software development. They foster collaboration, learning, improve code quality, facilitate change tracking, promote transparency, and save time and effort. If you are not yet using them in your project, give them a try as soon as possible!