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Stacked Pull Requests: How to Build, Review, and Merge a Clean Stack

A practical workflow for building, reviewing, updating, and merging dependent pull requests without losing track of the branch chain.
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Stacked pull requests let you submit a larger, connected change as a sequence of smaller PRs: each branch builds on the branch below it, and each PR presents a discrete change for review. They work best when the layers are coherent and understandable on their own, and when the team has a clear way to propagate lower-branch changes, manage CI, and merge in sequence.

How do stacked pull requests work?

In a stack, the first branch is based on the repository’s target branch, and each later branch is based on the branch immediately below it. Each pull request therefore contains a focused layer while depending on code already present in lower layers. GitHub describes each PR as a discrete, reviewable change of one or more commits. GitHub Docs: About stacked pull requests

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For example, a database change might be the first layer, an API change that relies on it the second, and a user-interface change that calls the API the third. The API branch must include the database change, and the interface branch must include the API change. A dependency belongs in the same PR as the change that needs it, or in a lower PR—not in a branch above the dependent work.

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This arrangement can let an author start later work before an earlier PR merges, while reviewers consider one part at a time. It does not make the pieces independent in Git: branches above a changed layer must be synchronized, and review, CI, branch protection, and merge order all need to accommodate the chain.

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When should you use a stack?

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  • A large change naturally separates into coherent steps, such as a foundation followed by code that uses it.
  • Each layer can be explained and reviewed as a meaningful change, even though it depends on earlier work.
  • Review of a ready layer can begin while work on a later layer continues.

When to rethink the split

  • A PR only makes sense after reading most of the other layers. That is a sign the boundary may not help reviewers.
  • One layer contains a dependency needed by a layer below it. Move that dependency into the same PR or a lower one.
  • The team cannot reliably rebase and push upper branches, or its CI and repository rules make the resulting review and merge flow impractical.

There is no documented quantitative guarantee that stacking makes reviews faster or reduces conflicts. Its value depends on whether smaller, well-defined changes help the people working in your repository enough to justify the added branch coordination.

How do you create and maintain a stack?

  1. Choose reviewable layers. Give each PR a clear purpose and a diff a reviewer can assess. Graphite’s review guidance recommends treating each PR as an independent change and submitting ready PRs early rather than waiting for the entire stack. Graphite: Stacked PRs and stacked diffs
  2. Base each branch on the code it needs. Create the next branch from the previous branch, not from the target branch, when it depends on that previous layer. GitHub’s documented stacked PR feature requires all branches in the stack to be in the same repository. GitHub Docs: Stacked pull request requirements
  3. Open ready PRs as you go. Make the dependency clear in the PR description and identify its place in the stack. Review can begin on a ready layer while you continue building upward.
  4. Propagate changes upward. When a lower branch changes, rebase the branches above it so they contain the update. GitHub documents server-side cascading rebases and local stack operations through the gh stack extension. GitHub Docs: About stacked pull requests

How do you review stacked PRs?

Review each PR as a focused change, using lower layers for dependency context when needed. When reviewing several layers, start near the target branch and work upward; this makes it easier to understand the foundation before assessing dependent work. Do not wait for every lower PR to merge before reviewing a ready upper layer.

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If a layer is difficult to understand without extensive context from the rest of the stack, ask whether the work can be divided differently. A stack should make a larger change easier to follow, not force reviewers to reconstruct it from several interdependent diffs.

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How do I update branches after a change to a lower PR?

Make a requested fix on the branch that owns the change, then rebase the branches above it. GitHub documents this CLI sequence for a middle layer:

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  1. Check out the affected branch and commit the fix.
  2. Run gh stack rebase to rebase the branches above it.
  3. Run gh stack push to push the updated stack.

GitHub says the stack push uses --force-with-lease. The PRs above the changed layer then reflect the update, and CI checks are triggered again. GitHub Docs: Reviewing stacked pull requests

Before pushing, ensure you are working on the branch that owns the fix and understand the effect on the upper branches. A rebase changes commit history; the documented safe push option is --force-with-lease, rather than an unqualified force push.

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How do you merge stacked pull requests?

GitHub’s stack merge flow can rebase and retarget the next unmerged PR after a lower PR merges. The documented guidance supports merging upward from the bottom or selecting a point in the stack while merging lower layers first. If the stack has become non-linear—for example, because a lower branch or the target branch changed—the merge interface can indicate that rebasing is needed before proceeding. GitHub Docs: Merging stacked pull requests

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Follow the repository’s merge policy and the stack’s dependency order. After a merge, inspect the remaining PR’s base, diff, and checks rather than assuming its state is unchanged. If GitHub indicates the stack needs rebasing, bring the branches back into a linear, current relationship before continuing. GitHub Docs: Stacked pull request requirements

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What should teams check before adopting the workflow?

  • Repository scope: GitHub’s documented stacks require all branches in a stack to be in the same repository.
  • CI behavior: Confirm which PRs trigger checks, how rebases affect check runs, and whether the resulting checks satisfy merge requirements.
  • Branch protection and approvals: Verify the actual repository rules and how they interact with rebased commits. Graphite specifically notes that GitHub’s “Dismiss stale pull request approvals when new commits are pushed” setting can prevent a stack from merging through Graphite’s UI; confirm current behavior with your rules and tool configuration. Graphite: GitHub branch protection rules
  • Tool behavior: GitHub documents stack support through its website, GitHub CLI, GitHub Mobile, and programmatic interfaces; its guide also covers local operations with the gh stack extension. Graphite documents tools to create, reorder, rebase, sync, and merge stacks. Compare how the options handle branch creation, propagation, reviewer diffs, merge retargeting, and your team’s repository policies. GitHub Docs: About stacked pull requests Graphite: Stacked changes

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