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Merge Request vs Pull Request: What's the Difference?
A complete comparison of pull requests vs merge requests — terminology, features, workflows, and code review across GitHub and GitLab.
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TL;DR — Pull Request vs Merge Request
A pull request (GitHub) and a merge request (GitLab) are the same thing. Both let you propose code changes, request peer review, and merge a feature branch into the main branch. The only difference is the name: GitHub calls it a “pull request” (PR), and GitLab calls it a “merge request” (MR). The underlying Git workflow is identical.
What Is a Pull Request?
A pull request is GitHub's mechanism for proposing changes to a codebase. When you create a pull request, you're asking the repository maintainer to “pull” your changes from your branch into the target branch (usually main). The pull request creates a dedicated page where team members can review the diff, leave inline comments, suggest changes, and discuss the implementation before merging.
Pull requests are central to GitHub's collaboration model. They integrate with GitHub Actions for CI/CD, support CODEOWNERS files for automatic reviewer assignment, and offer branch protection rules to enforce review policies. The term “pull request” is also used by Bitbucket and Azure DevOps.
What Is a Merge Request?
A merge request is GitLab's equivalent of a pull request. It serves the exact same purpose — proposing changes, enabling code review, and merging branches — but uses the name “merge request” because it emphasizes the action of merging your code into the target branch, rather than pulling it from the source.
Merge requests in GitLab are tightly integrated with GitLab CI/CD pipelines, which run automatically on every MR. GitLab offers built-in approval rules with configurable groups and required approval counts, merge trains for serializing merges, and the ability to set merge requests to auto-merge when the pipeline succeeds.
Merge Request vs Pull Request: Side-by-Side Comparison
A feature-by-feature comparison of GitHub pull requests and GitLab merge requests. Scroll horizontally on mobile.
| Feature | GitHub (Pull Request) | GitLab (Merge Request) |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | GitHub | GitLab |
| Terminology | Pull Request (PR) | Merge Request (MR) |
| Built-in CI/CD | GitHub Actions (YAML workflows) | GitLab CI/CD (.gitlab-ci.yml) |
| Review states | Approved, Changes requested, Commented | Approved, Revoked approval |
| Draft support | Draft Pull Requests | Draft Merge Requests (WIP:) |
| Merge options | Merge commit, Squash, Rebase | Merge commit, Squash, Fast-forward |
| Auto-merge | Yes (after checks pass) | Merge when pipeline succeeds |
| Branch protection | Branch protection rules & rulesets | Protected branches & push rules |
| Inline suggestions | Suggested changes (apply from UI) | Inline code suggestions |
| Approval rules | CODEOWNERS + required reviewers | Approval rules (multiple groups) |
| Merge trains | Merge queue (public beta) | Merge trains (Premium) |
| Self-hosted option | GitHub Enterprise Server | GitLab Self-Managed (free tier available) |
| Free tier | Free for public & private repos | Free tier with 5 users for premium features |
GitLab Merge Request Workflow
Here's how a typical merge request flows through GitLab, from branch creation to merge.
Create a feature branch
Branch off from the main or development branch in your GitLab project.
Push commits
Make your code changes, commit them locally, and push the branch to GitLab.
Open a Merge Request
Create an MR from the GitLab UI, add a description, assign reviewers, and set approval rules.
CI pipeline runs
GitLab CI/CD automatically runs your .gitlab-ci.yml pipeline — tests, linting, builds, and more.
Code review & approval
Reviewers leave inline comments, suggest changes, and approve when satisfied.
Merge
Once approved and the pipeline passes, merge the request using merge commit, squash, or fast-forward.
GitHub Pull Request Workflow
Here's how a typical pull request flows through GitHub, from branch creation to merge.
Create a feature branch
Branch off from main or the default branch in your GitHub repository.
Push commits
Develop your feature, commit changes, and push the branch to GitHub.
Open a Pull Request
Create a PR from the GitHub UI, write a description, and request reviewers.
CI checks run
GitHub Actions or other CI services run your automated tests and checks.
Code review & approval
Reviewers comment on the diff, suggest changes inline, and approve or request changes.
Merge
Once approved and all status checks pass, merge using merge commit, squash and merge, or rebase and merge.
Code Review: GitHub PRs vs GitLab MRs
Both platforms provide powerful code review tools. Here's how they compare on key review features.
Inline comments
Comment on any line or range of lines in the diff. Start a review with multiple comments before submitting.
Comment on any line in the diff. Supports resolvable threads that must be resolved before merging.
Code suggestions
Suggested changes — reviewers propose exact code edits that authors can apply with one click.
Inline suggestions — similar to GitHub, reviewers can propose code changes directly in the comment.
Ownership & auto-assign
CODEOWNERS file automatically requests reviews from code owners. Required reviewers via branch protection.
Approval rules with multiple groups and configurable required approvals per rule. Code Owners via CODEOWNERS file.
Review status
Three states: Approved, Changes Requested, Commented. Reviews persist across force-pushes.
Approved or not approved. Approvals can be configured to reset on new commits (optional).
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Historical Context: Why “Pull” vs “Merge”?
The naming difference between pull requests and merge requests has its roots in Git's history and the design philosophies of GitHub and GitLab.
Git itself has a built-in command called git request-pull, introduced by Linus Torvalds. This command generates a summary of changes and asks a maintainer to pull them from a remote repository. When GitHub launched in 2008, they built a web-based workflow around this concept and named it the “pull request” — staying faithful to Git's own terminology.
When GitLab launched in 2011, they chose the name “merge request” instead. Their reasoning was that the term “merge” better describes the end result — you are requesting that your branch be merged into the target branch. This framing focuses on what happens to the code rather than the mechanism used to transfer it.
Both names are valid perspectives on the same operation. “Pull request” describes the action from the maintainer's point of view (I'm pulling your changes), while “merge request” describes it from the contributor's point of view (I'm requesting a merge).
Benefits of Pull Requests and Merge Requests
Whether you call them PRs or MRs, the benefits of branch-based code review are the same.
Higher code quality
Peer review catches bugs, logic errors, and design issues before they reach production.
Knowledge sharing
Team members learn about different parts of the codebase through reviewing each other's changes.
Better collaboration
Discussion threads on PRs and MRs create a shared understanding of design decisions.
Audit trail
Every change is documented with who proposed it, who reviewed it, and why it was approved.
CI/CD integration
Automated tests run on every PR/MR, catching regressions before they are merged.
Compliance & governance
Required approvals and branch protection enforce organizational policies for regulated industries.
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