6 Easy Tips to Make Pull Requests Faster to Review

A pull request allows developers to add new features or fix bugs without affecting the main project code or the experience of the users. They can write and test code updates locally without worrying about disrupting the overall product this way. Let us understand how to create better pull requests via 6 easy pointers that are as follows:

1. Let the Computer Do the Boring Part 

Your time and mental stamina are scarce, do not waste them. Code review should not be about checking to style, tests, builds, or unused variables (this might sound obvious to some but you should know that it isn’t for everyone). There are 4 actions that you should automate, such as verifying:

• code builds (with Continuous Integration tools),
• that tests pass (with Continuous Integrations tools),
• code styling or whitespaces (with code formatting tools),
• unused variables or imports (with code linters).

If you need to check one of them, find a way to automate this task for next time.  

2. Talk About Your Intention

Acknowledge that anyone in your team could be reading this pull request, even if you specifically choose your reviewer(s). The content and tone of your initial comments should objectively inform them of the reasons why you opened this pull request, and what is your solution.

It Help reviewers start their review by giving a lot of context in initial issue or code comments.  

3. Limit the Impact of Each Pull Request on the Codebase:

Applying the SRP(Single Responsibility Principle) to pull request means that if during the development of your pull request, you notice that you’re creating two separate services (even if one depends on the other one), you should open a second stacked pull request on top of the first one. That way, you will reduce a big chunk of changes into two separate tasks, and help your reviewers a lot.  

4. Your Pull Request Should Speak for Itself

If you are changing the front of any application, there are chances that you’re affecting something visually. So please, copy screenshots in the pull request to help your reviewers.  

Is a part of your code a bit painful to understand? So you should have written dedicated comments within the code, but you can also write some code review comments before your reviewers arrived. You will pave the way for their understanding!

5. Use a Pull Request Template

When you open a pull request on GitHub, you can use a pull request template to have a preset text for your organization. It is very useful to ensure that every pull request follows a uniform process and to have a to-do list for the author to check before seeking a review.

6. Provide all the Necessary Information to Test Code

Testing isn’t fun, and what’s more frustrating than not knowing how to test someone else’s code? You should provide all the necessary steps to reproduce and test your pull request for the reviewers. Are there some new packages to install? Or a specific command to start? Details all the way to operate your code so your reviewer doesn’t waste time trying to find out.