How to use mergify to automate merging pull requests?

In today's fast-paced technology field, efficient collaboration and streamlined workflows are key to success. When working with Git repositories and managing pull requests, it can be time-consuming and error-prone to handle the merging process manually. That's where Mergify comes into play—a powerful automation tool that simplifies and automates the merging of pull requests, saving we time and reducing the risk of human error.

In this article, we will explore how we can leverage Mergify to automate merging pull requests, saving time and increasing productivity.

What is Mergify?

Mergify is a cutting-edge automation tool created explicitly for GitHub. It seamlessly integrates with repositories, offering an extensive array of automation capabilities that encompass various tasks, one of which is the automated merging of pull requests. By harnessing the power of Mergify, we have the ability to establish personalized rules and conditions that initiate automatic merges based on specific criteria. These criteria may involve successfully passing continuous integration tests or satisfying the necessary code review prerequisites.

With Mergify at our disposal, we can streamline our workflow and expedite the development process. This exceptional tool allows we to effortlessly automate the merging of pull requests, saving we valuable time and effort.

Why Automate Pull Request Merging?

Automating the merging of pull requests offers several advantages for development teams. Firstly, it improves productivity by reducing the time spent on repetitive manual tasks. Instead of manually reviewing and merging each pull request, Mergify handles the process automatically according to our predefined rules.

Moreover, automation reduces the risk of human error, which can occur during manual merging. With Mergify, we can ensure consistent and accurate merging, minimizing the chance of introducing bugs or conflicts into our codebase. This reliability fosters a more stable and robust development environment.

Additionally, Mergify promotes collaboration and helps teams scale. As our project grows, handling an increasing number of pull requests becomes challenging. By automating merging, Mergify enables smoother collaboration, as developers can focus on creating code rather than managing the merging process.

Getting Started with Mergify

To begin using Mergify, follow these steps −

• Installation − Start by installing the Mergify app from the GitHub Marketplace. Once installed, grant Mergify access to our repositories.

• Configuration − Configure Mergify according to our project's needs. Define the rules that determine when pull requests should be automatically merged. These rules can be based on various factors, such as the status of continuous integration tests, code review approvals, or labels assigned to the pull requests.

• Testing − Before enabling Mergify fully, it's recommended to test the automation rules on a test repository or with a limited set of pull requests. This allows us to fine-tune the rules and ensure they align with our project's requirements.

• Enable Merging − Once we're satisfied with the automation rules and confident in their accuracy, enable Mergify to start automatically merging pull requests based on the defined criteria.

Automating Pull Request Merging using Mergify

With Mergify set up in our repository, we can now start automating the pull request merging process. Let's explore some common scenarios and how to configure Mergify to handle them efficiently.

Scenario 1: Automatically Merging Approved Pull Requests

In numerous instances, there might be a requirement in our workflow for pull requests to undergo evaluation and approval from one or more reviewers before they can be merged. Mergify offers a solution to automate this procedure by automatically merging pull requests that satisfy the criteria for approval. To illustrate, here is an exemple configuration that demonstrates how this can be achieved −

pull_request_rules:
   - name: Automatically merge approved pull requests
conditions:
   - "status-success=checks/approved"
   actions:
   merge:
      method: squash

In the given instance, Mergify examines whether the pull request status contains the "checks/approved" indicator. If it does, Mergify carries out an automated merge of the pull request using the squash merge technique. The merge method can be customized according to individual preferences.

For instance, imagine we have a project with a continuous integration (CI) system already in place. By utilizing Mergify, we can establish a rule that automatically merges pull requests only when all CI tests successfully pass. This rule ensures that only thoroughly tested code is integrated into the main branch.

When a pull request is initiated, Mergify diligently monitors the status of the CI. Once all the tests are successfully passed, Mergify automatically merges the pull request and adds a comment to acknowledge the successful merge. On the other hand, if any of the tests fail, Mergify keeps the pull request open, encouraging the author to address the issues before proceeding with the merge.

Scenario 2: Enforcing Code Review Requirements

Code review is a critical aspect of the development process. Mergify enables we to enforce code review requirements and ensure that all pull requests go through a review before merging. Here's an example configuration −

pull_request_rules:
   - name: Require code review before merging
   conditions:
      - "status-success=checks/review-required"
   actions:
      comment:
         message: "Please wait for code review before merging."

In this scenario, Mergify checks if the pull request status indicates that code review is required. If it does, Mergify adds a comment to the pull request, reminding the author and reviewers to wait for the review process to complete before merging.

Scenario 3: Protecting Specific Branches

In some cases, we may have critical branches that require additional protection to prevent accidental or unauthorized changes. Mergify allows us to enforce branch protection rules and restrict merging privileges. Here's an example configuration −

pull_request_rules:
   - name: Protect critical branches
      conditions:
         - "base=master"
   actions:
      protect:
         required_status_checks:
            - "continuous-integration/travis-ci"
         required_pull_request_reviews:
            dismiss_stale_reviews: true
            require_code_owner_reviews: true

In this example, Mergify protects the "master" branch by configuring required status checks and mandatory code owner reviews. This ensures that all pull requests targeting the "master" branch go through the specified checks and review process before merging.

Output and Results

By leveraging Mergify's automation capabilities, we can significantly streamline the pull request merging process and improve our overall development workflow. Here are some key benefits we can expect −

• Time Savings − Mergify automates repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing our team to focus on high-value activities instead.

• Increased Productivity − With automated pull request merging, we can expedite the code review process and accelerate feature delivery.

• Consistent Code Quality − By enforcing code review requirements and branch protections, Mergify helps maintain consistent code quality across our repository.

• Improved Collaboration − Mergify fosters better collaboration by automating the tedious aspects of the pull request workflow, promoting seamless teamwork.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Automating the merging of pull requests with Mergify offers a multitude of benefits for development teams. By streamlining workflows, reducing manual effort, and ensuring consistent code quality, Mergify empowers teams to focus on writing great code rather than getting lost in administrative tasks.

Whether it is a small startup or an established enterprise, Mergify can significantly improve our development process. By leveraging its powerful automation capabilities, we can achieve higher productivity, enhanced collaboration, and a more efficient code review process.