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Request changes when a specific, material problem means the code should not merge yet: for example, a behavior or correctness defect, a security or reliability risk, a substantial maintainability cost, or a failure to meet an agreed requirement. Explain what could go wrong, where the issue occurs, and what change or evidence would make it safe to proceed. Keep preferences and minor polish as non-blocking comments.
What makes feedback blocking?
A blocking review comment identifies a meaningful problem that remains if the change merges as written. The concern should be concrete enough that the author can understand both the impact and what would resolve it.
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- Correctness or behavior: The change produces an incorrect result, breaks an expected workflow, or mishandles a relevant condition.
- Security or reliability: It exposes data, weakens a security boundary, or creates a credible failure risk.
- Maintainability or complexity: It introduces a substantial long-term cost, unnecessary complexity, or over-engineering that materially harms the codebase.
- Project requirements: It conflicts with an agreed product, compatibility, or repository requirement.
Google Engineering Practices describes the threshold as whether a change definitely improves overall code health, while cautioning against delaying a sound change for tiny polish. It also says a change that definitely worsens code health should not be checked in outside an emergency. That is Google’s published guidance; your team’s product risks and repository rules determine how it applies locally. See The Standard of Code Review.
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| Outcome | Use it when | What the author should take from it |
|---|---|---|
| Request changes | A specific, material issue should be resolved before merge. | The change is not ready as submitted; the blocking concern and its resolution should be clear. |
| Comment | You have a question, observation, or useful suggestion that is not a merge condition. | The feedback may help, but it is not a gate to approval. |
| Approve | The change meets the relevant standards and no material blocking issue remains. | You support merging, subject to any repository rules and other required approvals. |
GitHub documents these three review outcomes as Comment, Approve, and Request changes. Its documentation describes Request changes as feedback the author should address before merging: About pull request reviews.
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Use a quick threshold before requesting changes
- Name the concrete issue. Point to the relevant code or behavior, not a general reaction to the patch.
- Explain the consequence. Say what could happen if it merges unchanged and under what conditions.
- Check that the impact is material. Would leaving it unresolved create a meaningful problem for users, operators, security, correctness, or future maintenance?
- State a path to resolution. Identify a reasonable change or the evidence needed to determine that the code is safe.
- Check the project standard. Confirm the concern follows an agreed requirement or a real code-health risk rather than your personal preference.
If the issue matters but you are unsure which solution is right, ask a focused question and explain why the answer affects approval. A blocking request does not have to prescribe a particular implementation when the safe resolution is uncertain.
Keep preferences and small improvements non-blocking
Do not turn a review into a demand to polish every line. If the current approach meets project standards and the alternative is chiefly a matter of taste, leave it as an optional suggestion or question. The same applies to minor style refinements not required by the project’s style guide, and to teaching points that do not affect merge readiness.
Google’s reviewer checklist calls attention to functionality, complexity and over-engineering, and adherence to established style guidance. Apply the repository’s rules: when a style preference is not required by them, label it as a suggestion instead of making it a merge condition. See What to look for in a code review.
Write a request the author can act on
A useful blocking comment connects location, impact, and resolution. For example: “If this handler receives an empty list, it indexes the first item and fails the request. Could you handle the empty case before merge, or add a test demonstrating why it cannot occur?” This identifies a condition and consequence, then offers a concrete route to resolution without prescribing unnecessary details.
- Avoid vague directions such as “fix this.”
- Be respectful and direct; critique the behavior or risk, not the author.
- For several comments about one underlying issue, explain the shared concern and connect the related comments so the approval path is clear.
Know what Request changes means on GitHub
Request changes communicates that feedback should be addressed before merging, but it does not create a universal technical lock on every pull request. GitHub’s merge effects depend on repository configuration and permissions. Required approvals or code-owner sign-off can make a request-changes review—or a dismissed approval—a blocker under the configured rules. Check the repository’s branch protection and review requirements rather than assuming the same result everywhere. See About protected branches.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Balance response time with a sound decision
Google Engineering Practices recommends responding to a review request within one business day. This is Google’s guidance, not a universal service-level agreement. The same guidance stresses spending enough time to be confident that an approval means the change meets standards. If a thorough review will take longer, let the author know when to expect it or provide a brief first pass; speed is not a reason to approve without adequate review. See Reviewing quickly.
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