# Review a pull request

Open a pull request from the repository's **Pull requests** tab. Anyone with
read access can read it; reviewing, merging and moderating depend on your
repository role.

## Read the changes

A pull request has three tabs:

- **Conversation**: the description, checks, comments and reviews.
- **Commits**: the commits in the change, newest first. Select one to inspect
  it.
- **Files changed**: the diff, with inline review threads. Use the file tree
  to jump to a file; the toolbar shows the total lines added and removed.

The header names the source and target branches. A pull request from a fork
shows its source as `owner:branch`, or **deleted fork** if the fork is gone.

When new commits arrive, the comparison refreshes. Review the latest changes
before approving or merging. Earlier reviews stay attached to the commits they
reviewed; whether an approval still counts depends on the repository's
[rulesets](https://staging.git.cafe/docs/repositories/repository-rulesets.md).

To read a pull request from the terminal, run `cafe pr view <number>`, or
`cafe pr diff <number>` to list changed files. Add `--patch` for the patches,
or `--path <file>` for one file.

## Comment on lines

On **Files changed**, press **+** on a diff line to open a comment form. To
comment on several lines, select the range and press **+** at one end.

- **Add single comment** publishes the comment immediately.
- **Start a review** (then **Add review comment**) adds it to your pending
  review. Nobody else sees pending comments until you submit.

Replies to an existing thread are always published immediately. Pending
comments show a **Pending** mark and can be edited or deleted until you submit.

## Submit a review

While you have pending comments, a bar above the diff shows how many. Choose
**Review changes** (or **Review** in the pull request header), write an
optional summary and pick a verdict:

- **Comment**: general feedback.
- **Request changes**: the change should not merge as is.
- **Approve**: the change is ready.

Submitting publishes the review and all its pending comments together.
**Discard review** deletes the pending review and its comments.

A pending review belongs to the revision it was started on. If the pull request
is updated, you can no longer add to it: discard it and review the current
revision.

## Track viewed files

Tick **Viewed** on a file to collapse it and move to the next one. When you are
signed in, viewed files are remembered across browsers for the same revision;
they reset when the pull request is updated.

## Organize the review

Depending on your role, the sidebar lets you request reviewers, set assignees,
labels and a milestone, see checks for the latest commit, and lock or unlock
the conversation. The author or a maintainer can edit the title and description
with their pencil buttons.

Maintainers can hide or unhide a comment from its menu and dismiss a review
from its card. Hidden comments keep their place in the discussion; dismissed
reviews stay visible, marked as dismissed.

If someone else changes the pull request while you are editing, reload, review
their change and try again.