Write better code

On GitHub, lightweight code review tools are built into every pull request. Your team can create review processes that improve the quality of your code and fit neatly into your workflow.

Start with a pull request

Pull requests are fundamental to how teams review and improve code on GitHub. Evolve projects, propose new features, and discuss implementation details before changing your source code.

Make a change

Start a new feature or propose a change to existing code with a pull request—a base for your team to coordinate details and refine your changes.

Learn pull request fundementals

See every update

Diffs

Preview changes in context with your code to see what is being proposed. Side-by-side Diffs highlight added, edited, and deleted code right next to the original file, so you can easily spot changes.

Learn how to compare branches with diffs

History

Browse commits, comments, and references related to your pull request in a timeline-style interface. Your pull request will also highlight what’s changed since you last checked.

Pro-tip: You can search your commit history by keyword, committer, organization, and more.

Blame

See what a file looked like before a particular change. With blame view, you can see how any portion of your file has evolved over time without viewing the file’s full history.

Pro-tip: Use git blame to trace the changes in a file.

Discuss code

Comments

On GitHub, conversations happen alongside your code. Leave detailed comments on code syntax and ask questions about structure inline.

Review requests

If you’re on the other side of the code, requesting peer reviews is easy. Add users to your pull request, and they’ll receive a notification letting them know you need their feedback.

Reviews

Save your teammates a few notifications. Bundle your comments into one cohesive review, then specify whether comments are required changes or just suggestions.

Resolve simple conflicts

You can’t always avoid conflict. Merge pull requests faster by resolving simple merge conflicts on GitHub—no command line necessary.

Learn how to resolve merge conflicts on GitHub and using the command line.

Merge the highest quality code

Reviews can improve your code, but mistakes happen. Limit human error and ensure only high quality code gets merged with detailed permissions and status checks.

Permissions

Give collaborators as much access as they need through your repository settings. You can extend access to a few teams and select which ones can read or write to your files. The options you have for permissions depend on your plan.

See plan options

Protected branches

Protected Branches help you maintain the integrity of your code. Limit who can push to a branch, and disable force pushes to specific branches. Then scale your policies with the Protected Branches API.

Required status checks

Create required status checks to add an extra layer of error prevention on branches. Use the Status API to enforce checks and disable the merge button until they pass. To err is human; to automate, divine!