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Suggested improvements to Pull Requests reference page (pull-requests.md) #45416

Description

@mragavan2013-cell

Code of Conduct

What article on docs.github.com is affected?

https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/reference/pull-requests.md

What part(s) of the article would you like to see updated?

Summary of requested updates:

  • Update and clarify the section on supported merge methods (merge commit, squash merge, rebase and merge). Ensure the descriptions match the current GitHub UI and behavior (including any recent changes to default merge behavior).
  • Clarify and add examples for auto-merge behavior and how it interacts with required status checks, branch protection rules, and mergeability states.
  • Replace or update any outdated screenshots or references to legacy UI flows; ensure links and screenshots point to the current UI.
  • Add concrete gh CLI examples (gh pr merge, gh pr create) where the page mentions command-line workflows.
  • Improve cross-linking to related docs (branch protection, required checks, resolving merge conflicts, reviewing pull request changes).
  • Fix wording/grammar issues and improve structure for scannability (shorter paragraphs, consistent headings).
  • Add a short troubleshooting section for common issues (merge conflicts, stale branches, failing checks) with actionable steps.

If helpful I can prepare a PR with the proposed edits and a patch that updates text, examples, and adds CLI snippets.

Additional information

I reviewed the Pull Requests reference article and found areas that look outdated or could be clearer for readers adopting current GitHub workflows. I'm happy to provide a full patch (PR) that implements the above suggestions.

Reporter: @mragavan2013-cell

No screenshots to attach at the moment. If maintainers want a PR first, I can open one from my fork that includes the edits and any updated images.

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