> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/livrasand/desktop/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pull Requests

> Learn how to create, review, and manage pull requests in GitHub Desktop

## Overview

Pull requests (PRs) are the primary way to propose, review, and merge changes in collaborative Git workflows. GitHub Desktop provides seamless integration with GitHub pull requests.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create PRs" icon="code-pull-request">
    Create pull requests directly from the app
  </Card>

  <Card title="Review Changes" icon="magnifying-glass">
    View PR status, checks, and reviews
  </Card>

  <Card title="Checkout PRs" icon="download">
    Check out pull requests for local testing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Branch Management" icon="sitemap">
    Automatically manage fork remotes for PR branches
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Creating Pull Requests

### Create from Branch

<Steps>
  <Step title="Push Your Branch">
    Ensure your branch is published to the remote:

    * Click **Publish branch** if it's not yet published
    * Or **Push origin** if you have new commits
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open PR Creation">
    Click **Branch** > **Create Pull Request** or press `Ctrl+R` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+R` (macOS)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure on GitHub">
    GitHub Desktop opens your browser to GitHub's PR creation page with:

    * Base branch pre-selected
    * Your branch as the compare branch
    * Commit messages pre-filled
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete on GitHub">
    On GitHub:

    * Review the title and description
    * Add reviewers and labels
    * Assign to project boards
    * Click **Create pull request**
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Create from Fork

When working on a fork:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Ensure Upstream is Set">
    GitHub Desktop automatically detects the parent repository
  </Step>

  <Step title="Push to Fork">
    Publish or push your branch to your fork
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create Pull Request">
    Click **Branch** > **Create Pull Request**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Base Repository">
    On GitHub, ensure the base repository is the upstream (not your fork)
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Viewing Pull Request Status

### PR Information in GitHub Desktop

When on a branch with an associated pull request:

**Branch Badge**

* PR number and title appear in the branch dropdown
* Visual indicator shows PR state (open, merged, closed)

**Pull Request Tab**

* Click to view PR details
* See review status
* Check CI/CD status
* View merge conflicts

**Checks and Reviews**

* CI/CD check results
* Required reviews status
* Merge conflicts detection
* Branch protection rules

### Pull Request States

<Accordion title="Open">
  The pull request is open and under review:

  * Green icon
  * Can push new commits
  * Can request reviews
  * Can merge when ready
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Merged">
  The pull request has been merged:

  * Purple merged icon
  * Branch can be safely deleted
  * Commits are now in the base branch
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Closed">
  The pull request was closed without merging:

  * Red closed icon
  * Changes were not merged
  * Can be reopened if needed
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Draft">
  The pull request is marked as a work in progress:

  * Gray draft icon
  * Cannot be merged until marked ready
  * Useful for early feedback
</Accordion>

## Checking Out Pull Requests

### Check Out Your Own PR

<Steps>
  <Step title="View Pull Requests">
    Click **Branch** > **Pull Requests**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select PR">
    Choose the pull request from the list
  </Step>

  <Step title="Checkout">
    Click **Check out** to switch to the PR branch
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Check Out Someone Else's PR

For pull requests from forks:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open PR List">
    Click **Branch** > **Pull Requests**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find PR">
    Search or browse for the pull request
  </Step>

  <Step title="Checkout from Fork">
    Click **Check out**

    * GitHub Desktop automatically adds a remote for the fork
    * Downloads the branch
    * Switches to the PR branch
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  GitHub Desktop automatically manages fork remotes using the prefix `github-desktop-` to keep your remote list clean.
</Info>

### Fork Remote Management

From the technical documentation:

```typescript theme={null}
// GitHub Desktop uses a magic prefix for fork remotes
export const ForkedRemotePrefix = 'github-desktop-'

// Remotes are cleaned up when PRs are closed
function forkedRemotesToDelete(
  remotes: ReadonlyArray<IRemote>,
  openPullRequests: ReadonlyArray<PullRequest>
): ReadonlyArray<IRemote> {
  const forkedRemotes = remotes.filter(remote =>
    remote.name.startsWith(ForkedRemotePrefix)
  )
  
  const remotesOfPullRequests = new Set<string>()
  openPullRequests.forEach(openPullRequest => {
    const { gitHubRepository } = openPullRequest.head
    if (gitHubRepository?.cloneURL) {
      remotesOfPullRequests.add(gitHubRepository.cloneURL)
    }
  })
  
  // Delete remotes for closed PRs
  return forkedRemotes.filter(
    forkedRemote => !remotesOfPullRequests.has(forkedRemote.url)
  )
}
```

**Key Features:**

* Automatic remote creation for fork PRs
* Cleanup when PRs are closed
* Prevents remote list from growing unbounded
* Uses `github-desktop-` prefix for namespace safety

<Warning>
  Do not manually create remotes starting with `github-desktop-` as they may be automatically deleted by GitHub Desktop.
</Warning>

## Updating Pull Requests

### Adding Commits

Add more commits to an open pull request:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Ensure You're on PR Branch">
    Check out the pull request branch
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make Changes">
    Edit files and commit as usual
  </Step>

  <Step title="Push Changes">
    Click **Push origin** to update the pull request
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify on GitHub">
    The new commits appear automatically in the pull request
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Responding to Review Comments

<Steps>
  <Step title="View Reviews">
    Open the pull request on GitHub to see review comments
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make Requested Changes">
    In GitHub Desktop, make the changes requested by reviewers
  </Step>

  <Step title="Commit and Push">
    Commit your changes with a descriptive message referencing the review
  </Step>

  <Step title="Resolve Conversations">
    On GitHub, mark conversations as resolved
  </Step>
</Steps>

## CI/CD Integration

GitHub Desktop shows the status of GitHub Actions and other CI checks:

### Check Status Indicators

* **Pending**: Yellow circle - checks are running
* **Success**: Green checkmark - all checks passed
* **Failure**: Red X - one or more checks failed
* **Required**: Checks that must pass before merging

### Viewing Check Details

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click PR Tab">
    Select the pull request in GitHub Desktop
  </Step>

  <Step title="View Checks">
    See all checks and their status
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Details">
    Click **View on GitHub** to see full check logs
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Merge Conflicts in PRs

When your pull request has conflicts with the base branch:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Conflict Notification">
    GitHub Desktop shows a merge conflict indicator
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update from Base Branch">
    * Click **Branch** > **Update from \[base-branch]**
    * Or merge the base branch into your PR branch
  </Step>

  <Step title="Resolve Conflicts">
    Use GitHub Desktop's conflict resolution tools
  </Step>

  <Step title="Push Resolution">
    Commit and push the conflict resolution
  </Step>

  <Step title="Merge on GitHub">
    Once conflicts are resolved, merge the PR on GitHub
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Suggested Next Actions

After creating a pull request, GitHub Desktop suggests next actions:

* **View on GitHub**: Open the PR in your browser
* **Create another PR**: Create another pull request from a different branch
* **Switch branches**: Continue working on another branch

## Branch Protection and PR Requirements

GitHub Desktop respects branch protection rules:

### Protected Branch Indicators

* **Required reviews**: Shows how many reviews are needed
* **Required status checks**: Lists checks that must pass
* **Restricted push**: Indicates if force push is blocked
* **Admin enforcement**: Shows if admins must follow rules

### Pull Request Reviews

* **Approved**: Green checkmark - reviewers approved changes
* **Changes requested**: Red X - reviewers requested changes
* **Commented**: Gray - reviewers left comments without approval
* **Pending**: Yellow - waiting for reviews

## Draft Pull Requests

Create draft pull requests for early feedback:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create PR on GitHub">
    After clicking **Create Pull Request** in GitHub Desktop
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mark as Draft">
    On GitHub, click the dropdown next to **Create pull request** and select **Create draft pull request**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Work in Progress">
    Continue making commits to the draft PR
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ready for Review">
    Click **Ready for review** on GitHub when complete
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Pull Request Templates

If your repository has PR templates:

1. Templates are automatically loaded when creating PRs on GitHub
2. Fill in the template sections
3. Templates help ensure consistent PR descriptions
4. Common sections: Changes, Testing, Screenshots, Related Issues

## Comparing Branches Before Creating PRs

Preview changes before creating a pull request:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Compare to Branch">
    Click **Branch** > **Compare to Branch**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Base Branch">
    Choose the branch you plan to merge into
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review Differences">
    See:

    * Commits that will be included
    * Files that changed
    * Line-by-line diffs
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create PR">
    If satisfied, create the pull request
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Best Practices

<Tip>
  **Keep PRs focused**: Smaller, focused pull requests are easier to review and merge faster than large, complex ones.
</Tip>

1. **One Feature per PR**: Each pull request should address a single feature or bug fix
2. **Write Clear Descriptions**: Explain what changed and why
3. **Link to Issues**: Reference related issues with `Fixes #123` or `Relates to #456`
4. **Request Appropriate Reviewers**: Tag reviewers who are familiar with the code
5. **Respond to Feedback**: Address review comments promptly
6. **Keep PRs Updated**: Regularly update from the base branch to avoid conflicts
7. **Test Before Creating**: Ensure your changes work before opening a PR
8. **Use Draft PRs**: Mark work-in-progress PRs as drafts

## Keyboard Shortcuts

| Action              | Windows/Linux  | macOS         |
| ------------------- | -------------- | ------------- |
| Create pull request | `Ctrl+R`       | `Cmd+R`       |
| View on GitHub      | `Ctrl+Shift+G` | `Cmd+Shift+G` |

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Cannot Create Pull Request">
    If you can't create a PR:

    * **Branch not pushed**: Publish your branch first
    * **No changes**: Ensure you have commits that differ from the base branch
    * **Not signed in**: Sign in to your GitHub account in GitHub Desktop
    * **No write access**: Verify you have permission to create PRs
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="PR Not Showing in List">
    If a pull request doesn't appear:

    * Refresh the repository (**Repository** > **Fetch origin**)
    * Ensure you're signed in to the correct GitHub account
    * Check that the PR is for this repository (not a different fork)
    * Verify the PR hasn't been closed or merged
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Cannot Check Out PR from Fork">
    If checking out a fork PR fails:

    * Check your internet connection
    * Verify you have read access to the fork
    * Try fetching manually: **Repository** > **Fetch origin**
    * Check for network/proxy issues
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Check Status Not Updating">
    If CI/CD checks don't update:

    * Click **Repository** > **Fetch origin** to refresh
    * Verify GitHub Actions are enabled on the repository
    * Check if the workflow is configured correctly
    * View the PR on GitHub for real-time status
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related Topics

* [Branches](/features/branches)
* [Merge Conflicts](/features/merge-conflicts)
* [Committing Changes](/features/committing-changes)
* [Authentication](/configuration/authentication)