Stacked PRs: The Code Review Workflow That Changed How I Ship Features
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Stacked PRs (stacked diffs) are a code review workflow where each pull request targets another PR's branch instead of main, forming a chain of small, focused changes. This approach keeps developers unblocked during review cycles, reduces reviewer fatigue from large PRs, and shortens feedback loops. The post explains the concept with a concrete authentication feature example split into schema, API, and UI layers, then covers the trickiest part — cascading rebases when an earlier PR receives feedback — with explicit git commands including the use of --force-with-lease. Practical tips cover branch naming conventions, PR descriptions, batching feedback fixes, and the cultural mindset shift required for teams to adopt smaller, more frequent PRs.
Table of contents
The AI code reviewer that thinks like a senior engineer (Partner)What Stacked PRs Are (and Aren’t)Why Long-Lived Feature Branches Are the Real ProblemA Concrete ExampleCascading Rebases: The Hard PartWhen to Use Stacked PRs (and When Not To)Practical Tips for Getting StartedThe Culture Shift That Actually Matters📌 TL;DRSort: