Merge Request Coach

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2. Roles
3. Expert
4. Merge Request Coach

The main goal of a Merge Request Coach is to help merge requests from the community get merged into GitLab.

Responsibilities

• Triage merge requests labeled ~Community Contribution.
• Close merge requests that we don't want, with a clear explanation on the reasons why, so that people don't feel discouraged.
• Help contributors to get their merge requests to meet the contribution acceptance criteria.
• Read the weekly Merge requests requiring attention email to follow-up on inactive MRs. Each coach should pick a few MRs to follow-up each week.
• Help find and assign merge requests to available reviewers.
• If the contributor is unresponsive or if they are unable to finish it, finish their merge requests. Also, see the closing policy for issues and merge requests.
  1. Close the original merge request and say that you will finish it.
  2. Check out the branch locally.
  3. Make sure a changelog entry crediting the author exists.
  4. Add your own commits to improve and finish the original work.
  5. Push to a new branch and open a new merge request.
• Make it easy to contribute to GitLab even for people who are new to Ruby, JavaScript, Golang, etc. or programming entirely. For example, you can add any hints or possible fixes on issues that are open for community contribution.

Responding to merge requests

With each merge request opened by a wider community member, it's important to note GitLab is not their main focus. They have contributed to GitLab out of kindness, and we should aim to give them the space they need to fulfill their merge request.

After a merge request from a wider community member has been submitted and you have provided feedback, allow a period of up to two weeks for the community member to continue their work before following up with the community member through a comment in the merge request.

More information on Merge Request Coach is available in the handbook.