How to Create a Pull Request in GitHub: Step-by-Step Guide

To create a pull request in GitHub, first push your changes to a new branch in your repository. Then, go to the GitHub website, navigate to your repository, and click Compare & pull request to open a pull request for review and merging.

Syntax

A pull request in GitHub is created through the web interface after pushing your changes to a branch. The key steps are:

• git push origin your-branch: Upload your branch with changes to GitHub.
• On GitHub, click Compare & pull request to start the pull request.
• Fill in the title and description to explain your changes.
• Submit the pull request for review and merging.

bash

git checkout -b your-branch
# Make changes to files
git add .
git commit -m "Describe your changes"
git push origin your-branch

Example

This example shows how to create a pull request after making a change in a new branch.

bash

git checkout -b feature-update
# Edit README.md or other files
git add README.md
git commit -m "Update README with new info"
git push origin feature-update

# Then on GitHub website:
# 1. Go to your repo
# 2. Click 'Compare & pull request' button
# 3. Add title and description
# 4. Click 'Create pull request'

Output

Enumerating objects: 5, done.
Counting objects: 100% (5/5), done.
Delta compression using up to 8 threads
Compressing objects: 100% (3/3), done.
Writing objects: 100% (3/3), 300 bytes | 300.00 KiB/s, done.
Total 3 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: Resolving deltas: 100% (0/0), done.
To github.com:username/repository.git
 * [new branch]      feature-update -> feature-update

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when creating pull requests include:

• Not pushing your branch to GitHub before trying to create a pull request.
• Creating pull requests from the default branch instead of a feature branch.
• Not providing a clear title or description, making it hard for reviewers to understand changes.
• Forgetting to sync your branch with the main branch, causing merge conflicts.

bash

Wrong:
git push origin main
# Trying to create pull request from main branch

Right:
git checkout -b feature-branch
# Make changes
# Commit and push

# Then create pull request from 'feature-branch'

Quick Reference

Step	Command or Action	Description
1	git checkout -b your-branch	Create and switch to a new branch
2	git add .	Stage your changes
3	git commit -m "message"	Commit your changes with a message
4	git push origin your-branch	Push branch to GitHub
5	Click 'Compare & pull request' on GitHub	Open pull request for review
6	Fill title and description	Explain your changes
7	Click 'Create pull request'	Submit for review and merging

Key Takeaways

Always create a new branch for your changes before pushing.

Push your branch to GitHub before creating a pull request.

Use the GitHub web interface to open and submit the pull request.

Provide clear titles and descriptions for easier review.

Keep your branch updated with the main branch to avoid conflicts.