Pull Request Templates

The Hook (The "Byte-Sized" Intro)

"What does this PR do?" "How do I test it?" "Does it have breaking changes?" Without a template, reviewers ask the same questions on every PR. With a template, every PR arrives pre-organized: description, testing steps, screenshots, and a checklist. Reviewers review faster. Authors think more clearly. Quality goes up.

📖 What are Pull Request Templates?

Markdown templates that pre-fill the PR description with a consistent structure, guiding authors to provide the information reviewers need.

Conceptual Clarity

Template locations (GitHub):

Location	Scope
`.github/pull_request_template.md`	Default template
`.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/bug.md`	Multiple templates
`docs/pull_request_template.md`	Alternative location

Essential sections:

Section	Purpose
What	What does this PR do?
Why	Why is this change needed?
How	How was it implemented?
Testing	How to test it
Screenshots	Visual changes
Checklist	Pre-merge checks

Real-Life Analogy

A PR template is like a standardized form at the doctor's office. Instead of describing symptoms in a blank page, you fill in structured fields: what hurts, when it started, what you've tried. The doctor (reviewer) gets the right information faster.

Visual Architecture

flowchart TD AUTHOR["Author opens PR"] --> TEMPLATE["📝 Template pre-fills"] TEMPLATE --> WHAT["What + Why"] TEMPLATE --> HOW["How + Testing"] TEMPLATE --> CHECK["✅ Checklist"] WHAT & HOW & CHECK --> REVIEW["👀 Fast, informed review"] style TEMPLATE fill:#0f3460,stroke:#53d8fb,color:#53d8fb style REVIEW fill:#1b2d1b,stroke:#53d8fb,color:#53d8fb

Why It Matters

Consistency: Every PR has the same structure — nothing is missed.
Speed: Reviewers find information faster.
Quality: Authors think through their changes more carefully.
Onboarding: New team members know exactly what's expected.

Code

markdown

<!-- .github/pull_request_template.md -->

## What does this PR do?
<!-- Describe the change and link the ticket -->
Closes #

## Why?
<!-- Why is this change needed? -->

## How was it implemented?
<!-- Key technical decisions and approach -->

## How to test
<!-- Steps to verify the change -->
1. 
2. 
3. 

## Screenshots (if UI change)
<!-- Before/after screenshots -->

## Checklist
- [ ] Tests pass locally
- [ ] No console.log or debug statements
- [ ] Documentation updated (if needed)
- [ ] No breaking changes (or documented below)
- [ ] Self-reviewed the diff

## Breaking changes
<!-- List any breaking changes, or "None" -->
None

Key Takeaways

Place templates in .github/pull_request_template.md for automatic use.
Include What, Why, How, Testing, and Checklist sections.
Templates guide authors and speed up reviewers.
Multiple templates can be offered for different PR types.

Interview Prep

Q: What are PR templates and why use them? A: Markdown files that pre-fill the PR description with a consistent structure. They ensure every PR includes necessary information (description, testing steps, checklist), speeding up reviews and improving quality.
Q: Where do you put a PR template in a GitHub repo? A: .github/pull_request_template.md for a single default template. For multiple templates, use .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/ directory with separate files (e.g., bug.md, feature.md).
Q: What should a PR template include? A: At minimum: What (description of change), Why (motivation), How to test, and a Checklist (tests pass, no debug code, self-reviewed). Screenshots for UI changes and a breaking changes section are also valuable.