How to use the command 'git pr' (with examples)

Git is a widely used version control system that allows developers to manage and track changes to their code. The git pr command is a part of the git-extras package and is used to check out GitHub pull requests locally. This command provides a convenient way to review and test pull requests before merging them into the main codebase.

Use case 1: Check out a specific pull request

Code:

git pr pr_number

Motivation:

Checking out a specific pull request locally allows you to review the code changes and test them in your local environment. This is useful when you want to verify the changes before merging them into the main codebase.

Explanation:

• pr_number: The number of the pull request that you want to check out. This is typically a numeric value that uniquely identifies the pull request.

Example output:

Fetching pull request #42 from origin...
Switched to branch 'pr-42'

Use case 2: Check out a pull request from a specific remote

Code:

git pr pr_number remote

Motivation:

In some cases, your project may have multiple remotes, each corresponding to a different repository. By specifying the remote, you can check out a pull request from a specific repository and review the changes made by contributors.

Explanation:

• pr_number: The number of the pull request that you want to check out. This is typically a numeric value that uniquely identifies the pull request.
• remote: The name of the remote repository where the pull request is located.

Example output:

Fetching pull request #42 from upstream...
Switched to branch 'pr-42'

Use case 3: Check out a pull request from its URL

Code:

git pr url

Motivation:

The git pr command allows you to check out a pull request directly using its URL. This is particularly useful when you want to quickly review or test a pull request without having to look up its number or remote repository.

Explanation:

• url: The URL of the pull request. This can be copied directly from the browser when viewing the pull request on GitHub.

Example output:

Fetching pull request #42 from origin...
Switched to branch 'pr-42'

Use case 4: Clean up old pull request branches

Code:

git pr clean

Motivation:

Over time, your repository may accumulate a large number of branches from pull requests that have already been merged or closed. Cleaning up these branches helps to declutter your local repository and keep it more organized.

Explanation:

• clean: This argument triggers the cleanup process. It removes all the local branches that are associated with closed or merged pull requests.

Example output:

Cleaning up pull request branches...
Deleted branch pr-42 (was abcdefg).
Deleted branch pr-43 (was hijklmn).

Conclusion:

The git pr command is a useful tool for checking out GitHub pull requests locally. It provides a convenient way to review, test, and clean up pull request branches. By using this command, you can easily collaborate with other developers and ensure the quality of your code before merging it into the main codebase.