How the process of merging a pull request works in github

The process of merging a pull request (PR) in GitHub involves several steps to ensure that changes are properly reviewed, tested, and integrated into the main branch of the repository. Here’s a detailed outline of how the merging process typically works:

Steps to Merge a Pull Request

1. Opening a Pull Request:

   • A contributor forks the repository, makes changes in a new branch, and opens a pull request (PR) to propose these changes for review and integration into the main repository.

2. Review Process:

   • Reviewers: Maintainers or designated reviewers are notified of the PR and begin reviewing the changes. They examine the code, test cases, documentation updates, and any other modifications made in the PR.
   • Comments and Feedback: Reviewers can leave comments directly on the PR discussing specific lines of code, suggesting improvements, or requesting clarifications.

3. Continuous Integration (CI) Checks:

   • Automated workflows, configured through services like GitHub Actions or other CI tools, automatically run tests, linters, and other checks on the PR to validate the changes.
   • The PR status page shows whether these checks have passed or failed.

4. Approval and Changes:

   • Based on the reviews and CI checks, reviewers may approve the PR if they are satisfied with the changes.
   • They may also request changes if improvements or corrections are needed before merging.

5. Merge Approval:

   • Once the PR is approved and all checks have passed, the contributor (or maintainer) responsible for merging the PR is notified.
   • They can proceed to merge the PR into the target branch (often the main branch like main or master).

6. Merging the Pull Request:

   • Merge Button: On the GitHub interface, the merge button allows the PR to be merged into the target branch.
   • Squash and Merge / Rebase and Merge: GitHub provides options to squash commits into a single commit or rebase the branch onto the target branch before merging. This helps keep the commit history clean and coherent.

7. Delete Branch Option:

   • After merging, GitHub provides an option to delete the source branch automatically if it's no longer needed. This helps keep the repository clean and reduces clutter.

8. Notification and Completion:

   • Contributors involved in the PR, as well as watchers of the repository, receive notifications about the merge. This helps everyone stay informed about the changes made to the codebase.

Best Practices

• Clear Communication: Ensure clear communication throughout the review process to address feedback promptly.
• Automated Checks: Implement comprehensive automated checks (CI/CD) to maintain code quality and stability.
• Use of Labels and Milestones: Utilize GitHub’s labeling and milestone features to categorize and prioritize PRs.