Intro to Merge Requests

​

What Is a Merge Request?

• Propose changes from a source branch to a target branch (typically main or master).
• Collaborate through comments, inline code discussions, and approvals.
• Enforce quality gates by requiring passing CI/CD pipelines before merging.

​

GitLab vs. GitHub: Core Concepts

1. Create a feature branch
2. Commit your code
3. Submit for review
4. Discuss and revise
5. Merge into the main codebase

​

Typical Merge Request Workflow

​

1. Create a Feature Branch

git checkout -b feature-xyz

​

2. Develop and Commit Changes

# Edit files...
git add .
git commit -m "Implement feature XYZ"

​

3. Push to the Remote Repository

git push -u origin feature-xyz

​

4. Open a Merge Request

1. Go to Merge Requests → New merge request in your GitLab project.
2. Select feature-xyz as the Source branch and main as the Target branch.
3. Add a descriptive title and detailed description of your changes.

​

5. Review and Iterate

• Reviewers leave comments or suggestions.
• Address feedback by pushing follow-up commits:
  git add .
  git commit -m "Address review feedback"
  git push
  

​

6. Merge When Ready

​

Links and References

• GitLab Merge Requests Documentation
• GitLab CI/CD Overview
• GitHub Pull Requests Guide
• GitLab Best Practices