Creating and Managing Pull Requests on GitHub

Step 1: Fork and Clone the Repository

If you’re contributing to a project you don’t own, fork it first, then clone the fork locally:

git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/target-repo.git
cd target-repo

Step 2: Create a New Branch

Before making changes, create a new branch to keep your work separate from the main branch:

git checkout -b feature-improve-docs

Step 3: Make Your Changes and Commit

Edit files as needed. Then, stage and commit your changes:

git add .
git commit -m "Improve documentation in README.md"

Step 4: Push to GitHub

Push your new branch to GitHub:

git push origin feature-improve-docs

Step 5: Create the Pull Request

Visit the original repository in your browser. GitHub will usually show a prompt to create a PR from your branch. Click it, add a title and description, and submit the PR for review.

Step 6: Review, Discuss, and Address Feedback

Other contributors or maintainers may review your code and leave comments. You can continue pushing commits to your branch to update the PR automatically. To respond to feedback:

git add .
git commit -m "Address reviewer comments"
git push

Step 7: Merge the PR

If you have write access, you can merge the PR using GitHub’s interface. Choose one of the merge strategies (usually “Squash and Merge” or “Create a Merge Commit”) depending on your workflow preference. If not, a maintainer will handle the merge.