If you don't know what a pull request is, it's simply a method that allows software engineers to contribute to a code base. Whenever a new feature is created, a software engineer writes the code and then transfers the piece of code to a software development project. Once your pull request is open and passes all the required tests for code coverage, someone from the team reviews the pull request. I wrote an article about the traits of a good code review some days ago. But this time I wanted to write something about the "opposite" side, the side of the person who opens the pull request and receives the feedback.
Some things that I've learned when opening a pull request are:
✅ The title of the pull request should convey a clear and concise message. It should answer the question: "What is this pull request about?".
✅ If you receive some comments, acknowledge and reply to all of them. Plus, if a change is suggested and you think it would be better to implement a modification, go for it. Otherwise, explain why you prefer to leave the code unmodified.
✅ Doing a thorough check before opening a pull request is also great practice: you might want to look for unnecessary imports and missing tests. In addition, ensure that commit messages are explanatory.
Overall the process of opening a pull request and performing a good review is an engaging process that opens opportunities for conversation and improvements.
Do you have any other tips to share?
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