1. Collaboration in Modern Software Development

In real-time projects, collaboration is the backbone of success. Multiple developers work together, often from different locations, contributing to the same codebase efficiently.

Platforms like GitHub provide an ecosystem for shared development, enabling version tracking, code reviews, and team contributions under one roof.

2. What is a Fork?

A fork is a personal copy of another user’s repository. It allows NBKRIST students and developers to freely experiment with changes without affecting the original project.

Forking is the first step in contributing to open-source projects or collaborating with others on GitHub.

3. Creating a Pull Request (PR)

A Pull Request (PR) is a formal request to merge your code changes from your fork or branch into another repository. It represents collaboration, transparency, and peer review in the software world.

In NBKRIST projects, students submit pull requests to integrate their new modules or bug fixes into the main repository.

4. Code Review & Approval

Once a pull request is raised, team members review the changes — checking for quality, functionality, and adherence to coding standards.

Reviews improve learning, accountability, and software reliability — a culture strongly encouraged at NBKRIST.

5. Merging the Pull Request

After approval, the pull request is merged into the main branch, bringing your work into the shared project.

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git merge feature-branch
git push origin main

This final step symbolizes teamwork — everyone’s contributions unite into a cohesive, production-ready project.

6. Collaboration Workflow Example (NBKRIST Style)

Here’s how NBKRIST students typically collaborate on GitHub:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Clone it to the local system.
3. Create a new branch and make changes.
4. Commit and push to your forked repo.
5. Raise a Pull Request to the original repository.

# Example NBKRIST workflow
git clone https://github.com/nbkriststudent/nbkristrepo.git
git checkout -b feature-enhancement
git add .
git commit -m "Added enhancement for NBKRIST project"
git push origin feature-enhancement
# Then open GitHub → Create Pull Request

7. Benefits of Pull Requests

• Encourages peer learning and feedback culture.
• Improves code quality and consistency.
• Facilitates transparent and traceable project progress.

At NBKRIST, these practices help students experience real-world team coordination using GitHub — an essential skill for any aspiring software engineer.