In Git, a “pull request” is not actually a Git command, but rather a feature provided by Git hosting platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. Pull requests are a way to notify team members that you’ve completed a feature or fix and want to merge your changes from one branch into another (typically from a feature branch into the main branch).

Here’s what pull requests allow you to do:

1. Propose changes: Show others the code changes you’ve made
2. Get feedback: Team members can review the code, comment on it, and suggest improvements
3. Discuss: Have conversations about specific lines of code
4. Collaborate: Multiple people can contribute to the same pull request
5. Quality control: Enforce code reviews before merging

Although “pull request” isn’t a git command, you typically use standard git commands like push to get your code ready for a pull request:

git push origin feature-branch

Then you use the web interface of the hosting platform (GitHub, GitLab, etc.) to create the actual pull request.

Some platforms provide CLI tools that can create pull requests from the command line. For example, GitHub CLI has:

gh pr create

But this is not part of Git itself – it’s an extension provided by the hosting platform.

Small Software Development Team Organization with GitHub

Here’s how a small software development team can organize their workflow using GitHub effectively:

Core Workflow

1. Feature Branch Development
   • Create a new branch for each feature or bug fix
   • Work on this branch until the feature is complete
   • Keep changes focused and relatively small
2. Pull Request Based Reviews
   • Submit work for review via pull requests
   • Use PR reviews for knowledge sharing and quality control
   • Merge only after approval from at least one team member
3. Continuous Integration
   • Run automated tests on each PR
   • Enforce passing tests before merging
   • Consider automated code quality checks

Key Git Commands

# Create a new branch
git checkout -b feature/user-authentication

# Keep your branch updated with main
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main

# Stage and commit changes
git add .
git commit -m "Add login form validation"

# Push your branch to GitHub
git push origin feature/user-authentication

# If you need to amend your most recent commit
git commit --amend

# Review commit history
git log --oneline --graph

Essential GitHub Features

1. Issues & Project Boards
   • Track work with GitHub Issues
   • Organize with labels (bug, enhancement, priority)
   • Use project boards for visual task management
   • Link issues to pull requests
2. Pull Requests
   • Write descriptive PR titles and descriptions
   • Use PR templates to standardize information
   • Request specific reviewers when needed
   • Use the “Files changed” tab for line-specific comments
3. GitHub Actions
   • Set up CI/CD workflows
   • Automate tests, linting, and builds
   • Create deployment workflows
4. Branch Protection
   • Protect main/master branch from direct pushes
   • Require PR approvals before merging
   • Enforce status checks (tests passing)
5. Code Owners
   • Define who’s responsible for specific parts of the codebase
   • Automatically request reviews from the right people

Daily Routine

1. Morning
   • Check project board for assigned tasks
   • Review and respond to any PR comments
   • Pull latest changes from main
2. Development
   • Work on feature branches
   • Commit frequently with clear messages
   • Push regularly to backup work
3. Code Review
   • Review teammates’ PRs promptly
   • Leave constructive, specific feedback
   • Approve once changes meet team standards
4. End of Day
   • Push your work to GitHub
   • Update status of issues/tasks
   • Document any blockers or questions for the team

This workflow helps maintain code quality, encourages collaboration, and ensures that the team stays aligned on priorities and progress.