• See it in action
• The review process for merge requests
• How to read the display
• Merge requests in the Active tab
  • Assigned to you
  • Returned to you
  • Review requested
• Merge requests excluded from the active count
  • Waiting for assignee
  • Waiting for approvals
  • Approved by you
  • Approved by others

Tutorial: Understand your merge requests on the Merge requests homepage

This tutorial introduces you to the new user interface for managing merge requests.

Whether you’re an author awaiting review, or a reviewer providing feedback, this page helps you track your work. It sorts your work into clear categories to help you:

• Spend less time tracking merge requests that need your attention.
• Focus on the most urgent work first.
• See the status of your contributions.
• Prevent in-progress work from being forgotten.
• Improve your code review velocity.

See it in action

To see your merge request homepage on GitLab.com, either:

• Use the Shift + m keyboard shortcut.
• On the left sidebar, select Merge requests.

It’s organized into three tabs, to help you focus on what needs your attention right now, while still giving you access to other recent work:

• Active: These merge requests need attention from you, or a member of your team.
• Merged: These merge requests merged in the last 14 days, and you were an assignee or a reviewer.
• Search: Search all merge requests, and filter them as needed.

GitLab shows the total number of Active merge requests on the left sidebar on all pages. For example, this user has:

• 31 open issues ()
• 8 active merge requests ()
• 29 to-do items ()

The review process for merge requests

During the life of a merge request, it is created, reviewed, modified, approved, and eventually merged. On the merge request homepage, merge requests are sorted by steps in the review process, to help you understand quickly what actions you should take:

This review flow makes some assumptions:

1. The Assignee is the author of the merge request.
2. Reviewers are the users who review the work in the merge request.
3. Reviewers use the Start a review and Submit a review features.

How to read the display

Merge requests are grouped by current step in the review process. Each table row shows the most critical information about a merge request:

The table groups related information about a merge request together into columns:

• Status - The current status of the merge request.
• Title - Important metadata about the issue, including:
  • The merge request title.
  • The assignee’s avatar.
  • The number of files and lines added and removed (+ / -).
  • Milestone
• Author - The author’s avatar.
• Reviewers - The reviewers’ avatars. Reviewers with a green check mark have approved the merge request.
• Checks - A compact assessment of mergeability.
  • Number of unresolved threads, like 0 of 3.
  • Current required approval status.
  • Most recent pipeline’s status.
  • Date of last update.

Merge requests in the Active tab

Merge requests in the Active tab are grouped by status. Merge requests with these statuses count toward the total shown on the left sidebar:

Assigned to you

You’re the merge request author. You’ve not added reviewers yet.

• Next step: Add reviewers to start the review process.
• Statuses:
  • Draft: The merge request is marked as draft.
  • Reviewers needed: The merge request is not a draft, but has no reviewers.

Returned to you

Reviewers have provided feedback, or requested changes.

• Next step: Address reviewer comments, and implement suggested changes.
• Statuses:
  • Changes requested: A reviewer has requested changes.
  • Reviewer commented: A reviewer has left comments but not requested changes.

Review requested

You’re a reviewer for this merge request.

• Next step: Review the merge request. Provide approval and feedback. Request changes when needed.
• Statuses:
  • Requested: You’ve not yet started a review.
  • Review started: You’ve started a review, but not completed it yet.

Merge requests excluded from the active count

The Active tab shows all your in-progress merge requests, sorted by status. These merge requests are excluded from the active count, because no action is required from you right now:

Waiting for assignee

Your assigned merge requests that are waiting for approvals, and reviews you have requested changes for.

• Next step: Wait for reviews and approvals.
• Statuses:
  • You requested changes: You’ve completed your review and requested changes.
  • You commented: You’ve commented, but have not completed your review.

Waiting for approvals

Your assigned merge requests that are waiting for approvals, and reviews you have requested changes for.

• Next step: Wait until all approval requirements are met.
• Statuses:
  • Approvals required - Number of required approvals remaining.
  • Approved - Either you have approved, or all required approvals are satisfied.
  • Waiting for approvals.

Approved by you

Merge requests you’ve reviewed and approved.

• Next step: Wait for other approvals and other merge requirements to be met.
• Statuses:
  • Approved - You’ve approved, and required approvals are satisfied.
  • Approval required - You’ve approved, but not all required approvals are satisfied.

Approved by others

Merge requests that have received approvals from other team members.

• Next step: Potentially ready to merge, if all requirements are met.
• Statuses:
  • Approved - Your merge request has received the necessary approvals.