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Collaboration

Working with Merge Requests Involving Multiple People - Developer's Perspective

When collaborating on a software project with multiple contributors, the effective use of merge requests (also known as pull requests) is essential to ensure smooth integration of code changes. Merge requests allow developers to propose changes to the codebase, which then need to be reviewed, discussed, and eventually merged into the main code repository. This guide outlines the process of working with merge requests in such collaborative scenarios.

1. Create a New Merge Request​

To initiate the process, follow these steps:

  1. Fork and Clone the Repository: Begin by forking the main repository and cloning your fork to your local development environment.

  2. Create a New Branch: Create a new branch for your feature, bug fix, or enhancement. Use a clear and descriptive name for the branch to indicate the purpose of your changes.

  3. Make and Commit Changes: Make the necessary code changes in your branch and commit them. Remember to write descriptive commit messages explaining the purpose of each commit.

  4. Push Changes: Push your changes to your remote fork on the corresponding branch.

  5. Create a New Merge Request: On the main repository's web interface, navigate to the "Pull Requests" section and click "New Pull Request." Select the base branch (usually the main development branch) and your feature branch. Provide a meaningful title and description for your merge request, outlining the changes and their purpose.

  6. Assign Reviewers: Assign one or more reviewers to your merge request. Reviewers are responsible for assessing the quality, correctness, and adherence to coding standards of your changes.

  7. Submit the Merge Request: Once you're satisfied with your changes and the merge request details, submit the request for review.

2. Review and Discussion​

After the merge request is submitted, it enters the review and discussion phase:

  1. Reviewers' Assessment: Reviewers will examine your code changes, reviewing the code for errors, readability, and adherence to coding guidelines.

  2. Discussion and Feedback: Reviewers may leave comments directly on the code changes, asking questions, providing feedback, and suggesting improvements.

  3. Iterative Improvement: Address the feedback and make necessary changes to your code in response to the reviewers' comments. Commit and push these changes to the same branch.

  4. Continued Discussion: Engage in further discussions with reviewers if needed, seeking clarification or providing explanations for your code decisions.

  5. Revisiting and Approving: Once reviewers are satisfied with your changes, they will approve the merge request. Some projects might require multiple approvals before proceeding.

3. Continuous Integration and Testing​

During the review phase, your code changes often undergo continuous integration and testing processes:

  1. Automated Testing: Automated tests are triggered when changes are pushed to the merge request branch. Ensure that your changes pass all relevant tests.

  2. Test Reports: Review the automated test reports to identify any failures or regressions. Address these issues promptly.

4. Finalizing the Merge​

Once your merge request is approved and passes all tests, it's time to finalize the merge:

  1. Rebase or Merge: If your branch has fallen behind the base branch due to other changes, rebase or merge the base branch into your feature branch to ensure a clean merge.

  2. Squash Commits (Optional): Some projects prefer a clean commit history. You can squash your commits into a single or a few meaningful commits before merging.

  3. Merge: Once your branch is up to date and your commits are in order, proceed to merge the changes into the base branch.

  4. Delete Branch: After the merge, delete the feature branch both locally and remotely to keep the repository clean.

5. Post-Merge Activities​

  1. Close the Merge Request: Once the changes are merged, close the merge request on the web interface.

  2. Update Local Repository: Pull the latest changes from the main repository to your local development environment.

  3. Celebrate and Learn: Take a moment to celebrate your contribution, and if applicable, learn from the feedback and discussions during the review process.

By following this comprehensive process for working with merge requests involving multiple people, you contribute to maintaining code quality, fostering collaboration, and ensuring the seamless integration of code changes into the main codebase.