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Splitting code changes

Greg Foster
Greg Foster
Graphite software engineer


Note

This guide explains this concept in vanilla Git. For Graphite documentation, see our CLI docs.


In software development, the practice of splitting commits and managing pull requests (PRs) can greatly enhance the collaborative process. By breaking down larger changes into smaller, more digestible pieces, you can facilitate easier code reviews, quicker integrations, and ultimately a more maintainable codebase. This approach is not just about keeping your project's history clean, but also about ensuring that every contribution is understandable, reviewable, and manageable.

Splitting commits is a nuanced art in Git. It allows developers to isolate specific changes, making it easier to track and manage updates to the code. This is particularly useful when you're looking to make detailed adjustments or when you want to ensure that each commit represents a single logical change, enhancing the granularity and reversibility of your work.

In a similar vein, managing pull requests by splitting them into smaller, focused updates can dramatically improve the review process. Smaller PRs are more quickly reviewed, less likely to introduce bugs, and allow for faster deployment cycles. This not only speeds up the development cycle but also encourages more thorough and thoughtful code reviews.

Adopting the best practices for splitting both commits and PRs is a strategy that pays dividends in the long run. It can lead to a more effective team collaboration, a cleaner commit history, and a more systematic approach to integrating new code.

By implementing these practices into your workflow, you'll be taking significant steps towards a more streamlined, efficient, and collaborative development process.

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