Changing the base branch of a pull request on GitHub is a straightforward process that can be very useful in scenarios such as when you accidentally point your pull request to the wrong branch, or during code review when the team decides to merge changes into another branch.
Steps:
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Open GitHub: First, log in to GitHub and navigate to the relevant repository page.
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Find the Pull Request: On the repository's homepage, locate and click the 'Pull requests' tab, then select the pull request you wish to modify.
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Edit the Pull Request: On the pull request page, you will see an 'Edit' button to the right of the title. Click this button.
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Change the Base Branch:
- In edit mode, you will see a dropdown menu labeled 'base', which is the current target branch of the pull request.
- Click this dropdown menu to select a new base branch. The dropdown will list all available branches.
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Save Changes: After selecting the new base branch, the page will automatically refresh to show the differences between the new base branch and the changes in the current pull request. Verify that these changes are as expected, then click the 'Change base' button on the page to submit your selection.
Notes:
- Ensure Compatibility: Before changing the base branch, ensure that the changes in your pull request are compatible with the new base branch to avoid merge conflicts.
- Notify Team Members: If this change affects other team members, ensure to notify them promptly.
Example:
For example, suppose I initially mistakenly pointed a pull request to the master branch, but later realized the changes should be merged into the develop branch. I will follow the above steps to change the base branch, and before performing the operation, I will check the latest state of the develop branch to confirm there are no conflicts. After completing the operation, I will inform relevant colleagues in the team's communication channels (such as Slack or email).
By performing this operation, we can ensure the accuracy of code integration and the effectiveness of team collaboration.