The size of a Pull Request (PR) directly impacts development efficiency. Oversized PRs make reviews harder, increasing Cycle Time and the risk of errors (Change Failure Rate). On the other hand, excessively small PRs fragment context and create unnecessary overhead, affecting team productivity. Striking a balance improves collaboration and streamlines workflow.
5 PR Sizes
Teambit categorizes PR sizes based on lines of code (LOC):
Very Large (400 < LOC): High review complexity, high risk of introducing errors.
Large (200 < LOC ≤ 400): Requires more than one focused review session.
Medium (100 < LOC ≤ 200): Maximum size for a single-session review.
Small (10 < LOC ≤ 100): Optimal failure detection rate.
Very Small (LOC ≤ 10): High transactional cost; suitable for hotfixes.
How Should PR Sizes Be Distributed?
We recommend keeping the number of Very Large and Very Small PRs low compared to Small, Medium, and Large ones. This helps maintain a good Cycle Time, a low failure rate, and a smooth daily workflow.