Glossary

Merge Request

A merge request is a request to merge changes from one branch into another, most commonly used in GitLab workflows.

Merge Request

What Is a Merge Request?

A merge request (MR) is a request to merge changes from one branch into another. The term is most commonly associated with GitLab, where it is used for code review, discussion, automated checks, and approval before merge.

Why Merge Requests Matter

Merge requests help teams:

  • review code before integration,
  • discuss design or implementation details in context,
  • attach CI results and approvals to a change,
  • keep a traceable history of decisions before merge.

How Merge Requests Are Used

The common flow is:

  • create a feature branch,
  • push commits,
  • open a merge request,
  • complete review and checks,
  • merge into the target branch.

The concept is closely related to pull requests, but the naming convention differs by platform.

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