The “git pr” command is another feature provided by the “git-extras” package, developed by TJ Holowaychuk. This command is designed to enhance the Git workflow when working with GitHub pull requests.
When you are collaborating on a project hosted on GitHub and someone submits a pull request, it is often helpful to review the changes locally before merging them into the main codebase. The “git pr” command simplifies this process by allowing you to check out pull requests directly on your local machine.
Here’s a brief overview of how the “git pr” command works:
1. Ensure that you have the “git-extras” package installed. You can follow the installation instructions provided in the “git-extras” repository to set it up.
2. Once installed, navigate to your local Git repository via the command line.
3. Run the command “git pr” followed by the pull request number or URL. For example:
# git pr 42
or
# git pr https://github.com/user/repo/pull/42
The “git pr” command will fetch the changes associated with the pull request and create a new local branch based on those changes. It will also set up a remote branch that tracks the original pull request.
4. Now you can review and test the changes locally on the newly created branch. This allows you to verify that the pull request works as expected and doesn’t introduce any issues.
5. By checking out pull requests locally, you have the opportunity to run tests, make additional changes, and collaborate with other team members directly from your development environment. This process can help ensure the quality and compatibility of the changes before merging them into the main codebase.
It’s important to note that the “git pr” command is specific to the “git-extras” package and is not part of the core Git functionality. As with any third-party package, it’s recommended to review the documentation, understand its usage, and consider any potential compatibility issues before incorporating it into your Git workflow.
git pr Command Examples
1. Check out a specific pull request:
# git pr pr_number
2. Check out a pull request from a specific remote:
# git pr pr_number remote
3. Check out a pull request from its URL:
# git pr url
4. Clean up old pull request branches:
# git pr clean