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Hezron Okwach
Hezron Okwach

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Master Pull Request Messages: Save Your Team's Sanity and Time!

#github #gitlab #pullrequest #coding

Ever gotten a PR titled "Fixed stuff" and died a little inside? You're not alone.
47 per cent of devs waste 1-3 hours/week deciphering vague PR messages. Yours doesn't have to be part of the problem.

Why Your PR Message is Secretly the Most Important Code You Write

A pull request isn't just code; it's a collaboration handshake.

  • What it is: "Hey team, I made changes. Mind reviewing?"
  • Why the message matters:
    • Saves reviewers hours of digging ("Where's the bug? Why this fix?")
    • Shows respect for your team's time ( "Figure it out yourself" energy)
    • Documents decisions forever (Future-you will thank present-you)

The Anatomy of a Killer PR Message

-
Cut the fluff. Include only what matters:

Title

  • What to Write: Specific change + impact
  • ❌ Bad Example: Bug fix
  • ✅ Good Example: Fix login crash on iOS 15

Description

  • What to Write: WHAT you did + WHY (Context!)
  • ❌ Bad Example: Made it better
  • ✅ Good Example: Added input validation to prevent XSS

Testing

  • What to Write: How you verified (OS/data/edges)
  • ❌ Bad Example: Seems fine
  • ✅ Good Example: Tested on Chrome/iOS w/ 10K chars

Known Issues

  • What to Write: Honesty > perfection
  • ❌ Bad Example: (Silence)
  • ✅ Good Example: Dropdown flickers in Firefox - WIP

Extras

  • What to Write: Screenshots/GIFs/links
  • ❌ Bad Example: N/A
  • ✅ Good Example: Screenshot + Fixes issue #42

5 Habits That Make PRs Actually Helpful

1. Speak Human, Not Robot 

💬 BAD: "Refactored component."
💡 GOOD: "Split PaymentForm into smaller hooks - fixes issue #87 (state mess)."
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2. Bullet Points > Paragraphs 

💬 BAD: "Changed button color and moved it to fix layout issues."
💡 GOOD:
- Changed CTA from gray → blue (A/B tested +5 percent clicks)
- Moved button above fold
- Fixed responsive padding on mobile
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3. Link Obsessively 

💡 GOOD:
Fixes issue #123
[Design spec](figma.link)
[API contract](docs.link)
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4. Flag Risks Early 

Heads up: This migration deletes legacy_users table.
Impact: Requires DB backup before merge.
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5. Ask for Specific Reviews 

Reviewer focus:
- Does error handling cover edge cases?
- Is DB rollback safe?
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3 PR Sins That Annoy Everyone

Sin 1: Vague Titles 

💀 "Fixed."
💡 Fix: "Fix cart total calculation error"
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Sin 2: Missing the Why 

💀 "Updated validation"
💡 Fix: "Added email validation to prevent invalid signups (support ticket #4451)"
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Sin 3: Ghost Updates 

💀 PR body says "Added button" but you removed it later
💡 Fix: Always update description after code changes!
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Universal PR Template (Copy-Paste Ready!) 

### Title
Fix [Issue] in [Module]

### Description
**What**: [Concise summary]
**Why**: [Business/user impact]
**How**: [Key technical change]

### Context
Fixes #[Issue] | Related to #[Epic] | [Design Doc]()

### Verification
- Tested on: [OS/Browser]
- Edge cases: [null inputs/offline/etc]
- Metrics: [Performance gains]

### Known Issues
- [ ] [Bug description] (WIP)

### Extras
- Screenshot: [link]
- Checklist: [x] Tests updated | [ ] Docs needed
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Real-World Examples

Good Example: Authentication Update 

### Add Google OAuth Login

**What**: Added Google authentication
**Why**: Users requested social login (support issue #301)
**How**: Implemented OAuth2 flow with new API module

### Context
Fixes issue #301 | [Auth design doc](link)

### Verification
- Tested on: iOS/Chrome/Safari
- Edge cases: Revoked permissions, 2FA accounts
- Passes security scan 

### Known Issues
- [ ] Button text overflows on small mobile (fixing in issue #310)

### Extras
![Login screenshot](link)
[OAuth config checklist](link)
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Good Example: Multi-Feature PR 

### Dashboard Updates: Performance + New Widgets

**This PR contains 3 main improvements:**

1. **Performance Optimization**
   - Reduced API calls from 8 → 3
   - Added caching for user data
   - Why: Dashboard loaded slowly for enterprise users

2. **Activity Timeline Widget**
   - Shows recent user actions
   - Collapsible/expandable section
   - Why: PM request #321 (user feedback)

3. **Profile Image Fix**
   - Fixed aspect ratio distortion
   - Added loading skeleton
   - Why: Fixes issue #287 (reported bug)

### Context
Related to dashboard-v2 initiative

### Verification
- Tested with 1000+ activity items
- Verified on: Mobile/Desktop/Dark mode
- Perf metrics: 40 percent faster load time

### Known Issues
- [ ] Timeline pagination not implemented (coming in issue #299)

### Extras
![Dashboard comparison](link)
[Performance benchmark report](link)
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Bad Example: Mystery Update 

### Update
Made auth changes
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Why this fails:

❌ Vague title gives zero context

❌ No explanation of WHAT changed

❌ No mention of WHY it was needed

❌ Missing links to related issues/tickets

❌ The reviewer must read every line of code to understand

Good Example: Bug Fix 

### Fix Profile Image Upload Crash

**What**: Fixed crash when uploading >5MB images
**Why**: Users couldn't upload profile photos (critical!)
**How**: Added client-side file size validation

### Context
Hotfix for production crash P0-447

### Verification
- Tested with: 10MB/100MB/0-byte files
- Verified on: Android Chrome, Safari, Firefox

### Extras
[Screen recording of fix](link)
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Bad Example: Lazy Documentation Update 

### Docs update
Fixed some typos
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Why this fails:

❌ Doesn't specify WHICH docs were updated

❌ No context about why changes were needed

❌ No verification (did they check all pages?)

❌ Forces reviewer to hunt for changes

❌ Wastes time could be 1 typo or 100 changes

Bad Example: Incomplete Feature PR 

### New search feature
Added search to navbar
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Why this fails:

❌ No explanation of HOW it works

❌ Missing testing details (what did you test?)

❌ No links to design specs

❌ Doesn't mention KNOWN ISSUES:

  • Search doesn't work on mobile

  • No error handling

❌ Reviewer discovers problems during testing

Bad Example: Sloppy Refactor 

### Refactor
Cleaned up code
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Why this fails:

❌ Dangerous title – refactors can break everything

❌ Zero context about scope or motivation

❌ No testing information

❌ Doesn't flag potential risks

❌ Violates "Always explain WHY" rule

Pro Tips for dev.to Readers

  • Small PRs > Mega-PRs: <300 lines = faster reviews
  • Preview before submitting: Does it render clearly on GitHub?
  • Automate templates: Add .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md to your repo
  • For multi-feature PRs: Start with "This PR contains X main changes:"

Key Takeaway

A great PR message isn't documentation; it's leadership.
It says, "I respect you, I've done my homework, and I make your job easier."

Your Turn:

  • Steal the template above for your next PR
  • Share your worst PR horror story below.
  • What's your #1 PR tip? Let's discuss!

"The difference between good and great engineers isn't just code – it's communication." - [@hezronokwach]

Top comments (1)

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cynthiaoketch profile image
CynthiaOketch •

Very helpful, especially as a PM 😅