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Code & Deliverydraft PRnoun · /drɑːft piː ɑːr/

How to Say "draft PR" at Work

In simple English

A draft PR is a pull request that you open on your code repository but explicitly mark as draft status to signal that it is incomplete or not ready for final review. Most platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket support draft PR functionality. This is different from a regular PR because reviewers understand that the code may change significantly, comments are welcomed, and the PR will not be merged until you convert it to a regular PR. Draft PRs are commonly used to gather early feedback, discuss implementation approaches with teammates, and ensure quality before requesting a formal code review. They reduce back-and-forth communication and help prevent blocking other team members who might be waiting on your work.

Understanding what a draft PR is and when to use it in the development workflow

Part of Code Reviews & PRs in the Knowledge Base.

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness5/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓I have opened a draft PR for the feature branch
✓Let me put this as a draft PR first so the team can comment
✓This is still in draft PR status, so changes are coming

Real examples

in a standup

"I pushed a draft PR yesterday for the API refactor. Please take a look and let me know if you see any issues."

in a code review

"This is a draft PR, so I am still working on the test coverage. Your feedback on the approach would be helpful."

in a Slack message

"Converting the draft PR to ready now since we fixed all the failing tests."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse with simply opening a PR. A draft PR is specifically marked as not ready for review, whereas a regular PR is ready. Avoid using draft PR when you mean work in progress on a local branch.

✕I created a PR for the new feature.
✓I created a draft PR for the new feature because I want early feedback.— The context matters. A regular PR signals the code is ready; a draft PR signals it is not. Be explicit about your intent.
✕This draft PR is ready to merge.
✓This PR is ready to merge. I am converting it from draft status now.— A draft PR by definition is not ready to merge. Once ready, you convert it to a regular PR.
✕Can you review my draft PR? I will update it later.
✓Can you review my draft PR? I am still implementing the error handling, but early feedback on the structure would be helpful.— Be specific about what is incomplete and what feedback you actually want. Do not ask for full review on incomplete work.

Other forms

noun

draft PR

"The draft PR is available for feedback on the main repository."

verb phrase

open a draft PR / create a draft PR

"I will open a draft PR to discuss the implementation approach with the team."

verb phrase

convert from draft PR / mark as ready

"Once the tests pass, I will convert this from draft PR to a regular PR."

Often used with

open a draft PRto create and publish a draft PR on your repository platform
convert a draft PRto change a draft PR status to ready for final review and merging
mark as draftto set a PR to draft status when creating it
draft PR feedbackcomments and suggestions given on incomplete code in draft status

Similar words

work in progress PR (WIP)older term meaning the same thing; now mostly replaced by draft PR functionality
incomplete PRdescribes the state but is less formal and not the standard term

Opposites

ready PRproduction-ready PRmerge-ready PR

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your team needs to discuss your implementation approach before you finish coding. What do you say?

Complete the sentence

2. I will _______ this as a draft PR first to get team feedback before submitting for final review.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses draft PR incorrectly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using draft PR: 'I put my unfinished code online so the team can give me comments before I finish it.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "draft pr" in a standup this week?

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