Reviewing merge requests

 Reviewing a merge request

After a merge request has been made for an issue fork, the changes can be reviewed. Here are the steps:

1. Find the branch you want to review in the issue fork area, and click the icon next to the branch link to view the differences between the branch and the base software version in GitLab.
2. If you have comments about the code changes, find the first line of the area you want to comment on. As you hover over the line with your mouse, a button will appear that lets you add a comment. If you are not using a mouse and cannot get this to work, you can instead download a patch file (see section below) and make a review in an issue comment.
3. If you have changes to recommend, use the GitLab suggestion feature.
4. Enter your comment. A notice will be added to the issue with the text to your comment.
5. When you are finished with your review, add a comment to the issue and change the issue status if needed (to Needs work or Reviewed and tested by the community most likely) so that people following the issue are notified about your review (the review comments do not generate notification email). If you were happy with the merge request and have no specific comments on the code, put that in your comment.

Note: There is a separate page for project maintainers with information about merging: Reviewing and merging merge requests

Reviewing updates to a merge request

If you have already reviewed a previous version of the merge request, and want to look at the latest changes:

1. Locate the commit hash code for the latest commit in the merge request that you reviewed previously. For instance, if you reviewed a merge request after this notice in the issue:
   
   the commit hash code is 35efd28a.
2. Click the merge request link in the issue fork area, or in the latest merge request. This will take you to the merge request page in GitLab.
3. Click the Changes link in the in-page navigation, and select the commit hash in the Compare select list.
   
4. You should now be looking at the differences between the previous version you already reviewed and the latest version. Review as in the previous section, and then make sure to add a comment to the issue so that followers are notified of your review.