pull request
/pʊl rɪˈkwɛst/
Very CommonA request to merge your code changes into a shared codebase, usually including review and discussion.
Often abbreviated PR. In some contexts used loosely to mean any proposed change or contribution, even outside software.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | just opened the PR, can someone take a look? | Asking teammates to review newly submitted code changes. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | my first PR got merged!! | Excited about a first accepted contribution. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | this PR has been open for 3 months and nobody reviewed it | Frustration with a stale, unreviewed pull request. | reddit, 2022 |
| 04 | PR is up, 400 files changed, good luck reviewers lol | Self-deprecating about submitting an unusually large changeset. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Proposing code changes for review before merging.
- Contributing to an open-source project.
- Asking teammates to look at your work before it goes to production.
Do not use it when
- You pushed directly to main without a review step.
- You're talking about a commit, not a review request.Use “commit” instead.
Variations and related forms
Origin and context
The term comes from git's concept of pulling changes from one branch into another. GitHub popularized 'pull request' as the UI and workflow name when it launched in 2008.
- First seen
- 2008
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/pull-requestUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0