GitHub Create PR

Create a GitHub Pull Request using the gh CLI.

When to Use

• Ready to submit changes for review
• Need to create a pull request
• Any request to "open PR", "create PR", or "submit for review"

Prerequisites

Ensure gh CLI is installed and authenticated:

gh --version
gh auth status

If not authenticated:

gh auth login

Workflow

1. Check Branch Status

git status
git branch --show-current
git log --oneline -5

2. Push Branch (if needed)

git push -u origin HEAD

3. Create the PR

Quick creation with defaults:

gh pr create

With custom title:

gh pr create --title "feat: add user authentication"

With title and body:

gh pr create --title "feat: add user authentication" --body "Implements OAuth2 login flow with support for Google and GitHub providers."

Fill from commit messages:

gh pr create --fill

Target specific base branch:

gh pr create --base main

4. Copy PR URL

After creation, the PR URL is printed. You can also get it with:

gh pr view --json url --jq '.url'

Common Options

Flag	Description
--title	PR title
--body	PR description
--fill	Use commit message as title/body
--base	Target branch (default: repo default)
--head	Source branch (default: current)
--draft	Create as draft PR
--label	Add labels
--assignee	Assign to user(s)
--reviewer	Request reviewer(s)

Examples

Create draft PR:

gh pr create --draft --title "WIP: refactor API"

Add labels and reviewer:

gh pr create --title "fix: resolve memory leak" --label "bug" --reviewer "@username"

Use template:

gh pr create --template="feature.md"

Best Practices

• Push branch before creating PR
• Write clear, descriptive titles
• Include context in body (what changed, why)
• Reference related issues: Closes #123
• Add appropriate labels
• Request reviewers
• Use draft PRs for work-in-progress