MNT: Simplify PR template by timhoffm · Pull Request #32100 · matplotlib/matplotlib

timhoffm · 2026-07-22T21:45:28Z

Closes #32093.

This is radically reduced to the essence.

We many discuss the single quality check box. But I felt ticking one box may still be a reasonable checkpoint to rethink the PR. If quality check was only informative text, it would likely be ignored much more. My fear is rather that people do not understand that they should tick the box.

Note: this is a template I myself would be willing to use :)

story645 · 2026-07-22T22:08:36Z

. My fear is rather that people do not understand that they should tick the box.

In last week's meeting we discussed maybe using one of the AI review bots and @melissawm is doing a survey. The reason I think we can get rid of the checkboxes all together is b/c I'm guessing the coding guidelines are more or less a skills document.

story645 · 2026-07-22T22:13:24Z

- Why is this change necessary?
- What problem does it solve?
- What is the reasoning for this implementation?


can this language maybe get moved to https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/contribute.html#first-contributions b/c that's what it was aimed for

Uh, oh that section has a verbatim copy of the PR template - will also need and upate, but not today anymore.

Uh, oh that section has a verbatim copy of the PR template - will also need and upate, but not today anymore.

That dropdown is an include to this file specifically so that they're always in sync:

matplotlib/doc/devel/contribute.rst

Lines 328 to 332 in 102a1d2

.. dropdown:: `Pull request template <https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md>`_

:open:

.. literalinclude:: ../../.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md

:language: markdown

I have no strong opinions on this other than that it's too detailed for the PR template. Would you be ok with making a PR with your wording on that topic, or create an issue and assign it to me? I don't what to have the bikeshedding of the first-contribution changes in this PR.

story645 · 2026-07-22T22:18:37Z

- [ ] *New Features* and *API Changes* are noted with a [directive and release note](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/api_changes.html#announce-changes-deprecations-and-new-features)
- [ ] Documentation complies with [general](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/document.html#write-rest-pages) and [docstring](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/document.html#write-docstrings) guidelines
+## PR quality check
+<!-- Make sure to conform with the project standards. Please check the following box! -->


I don' t think this needs the free text explanation of the checkbox

Suggested change

Without explanation and with the shorted checkbox text, will users still understand that they should tick the box?

I think the folks who aren't checking just aren't checking, but you can also make it sound like an attestation?

- [ ] I affirm that this PR complies with [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)

I think if there are checkboxes with no explanation, it can be ambiguous whether the author or the reviewer is supposed to mark them off.

- [ ] My PR complies with [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)

Or going more formal but nothing gets stashed in a comment:

- [ ] I, the author of this PR, affirm that my PR complies with [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)

story645 · 2026-07-22T22:19:02Z

-the recommended next step seems overly demanding, if you would like help in
-addressing a reviewer's comments, or if you have been waiting too long to hear
-back on your PR.-->
+- [ ] I am aware of and have followed the [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)


Suggested change

- [ ] I am aware of and have followed the [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)

- [ ] this PR complies with [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)

timhoffm · 2026-07-22T22:37:52Z

In last week's meeting we discussed maybe using one of the AI review bots

How does this relate to the PR template? Do you mean using it to evaluate the PR description?

story645 · 2026-07-22T23:02:16Z

How does this relate to the PR template?

That it'd be doing the "this PR complies w/ project standards" check just like the CI already handles most of the other checks. I don't know who the checkbox is for that isn't handled w/ the nudge at the top.

rcomer · 2026-07-23T06:14:38Z

I think it is good to have a checkbox rather than just a nudge in the comments.

It is more visible: personally when I am writing GitHub comments I tend to flick to the “Preview” to proof-read, and of course the checkbox appears there whereas the nudge does not.
A lot of the AI PRs make their own checklist, and I’d rather point out that we already had one they should have used.

Removing the existing checklist probably means I will forget to add directives more often!

Closes matplotlib#32093. This is radically reduced to the essence. We many discuss the single quality check box. But I felt ticking one box may still be a reasonable checkpoint to rethink the PR. If quality check was only informative text, it would likely be ignored much more. My fear is rather that people do not understand that they should tick the box. Note: this is a template I myself would be willing to use :)

timhoffm · 2026-07-23T07:30:20Z

Based on #32100 (comment) I have scaled back and left the original checkboxes for now. We can do bikeshedding on the checks later in a follow-up.

It may also be a good idea to sync and mirror the checklist items from the PR guide(https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#summary-for-pull-request-authors) here in an abbreviated form so that we don't have to have all the individual links here. Links are notoriously ugly in the PR template as it is read and edited as raw text. But that likely needs a synced rewrite in the template and PR guide, which is beyond the scope of this PR.

story645 · 2026-07-23T07:45:31Z

But that likely needs a synced rewrite in the template and PR guide, which is beyond the scope of this PR.

Would you be opposed to something like the include we do for the new contributors guide?

timhoffm · 2026-07-23T09:39:31Z

Would you be opposed to something like the include we do for the new contributors guide?

I would do different fomatting, and maybe even verbosity.

The template should only have a single top-level link and short checkpoints, e.g.:

<!--
Make sure to conform with the project standards: https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines 
Please check the following box!
-->
- [ ] new and changed code is tested
- [ ] release notes for new features and API changes are added

The PR guide could have links and if suitable slightly longer explanations, e.g.:

new and changed code is tested
release notes for new features and API changes are noted with a directive and release note

rcomer · 2026-07-23T15:27:52Z

+## PR quality check
+<!--
+Make sure to conform with the project standards: https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines 
+Please check the following box!


Suggested change

Please check the following box!

Please check the relevant boxes below!

?

scottshambaugh

Bikeshedded, big +1 to cutting this down in general so people actually read it.

scottshambaugh · 2026-07-23T15:57:06Z

-non-numeric input to set_xlim" and avoid non-descriptive titles such as "Addresses
-issue #8576".
+## AI Disclosure
+<!-- Please describe if and how AI is used. See also our AI policy: https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/contribute.html#use-of-generative-ai -->


Either here or in the AI policy I'd like to add a line about not having AI write or clean up / polish PR descriptions or comments

scottshambaugh · 2026-07-23T15:58:32Z

 -->

-## PR checklist
-<!-- Please mark any checkboxes that do not apply to this PR as [N/A].-->


I think checkboxes without some direction on what to do when they don't apply is confusing.

scottshambaugh · 2026-07-23T15:58:47Z

-## PR checklist
-<!-- Please mark any checkboxes that do not apply to this PR as [N/A].-->
-
- [ ] "closes #0000" is in the body of the PR description to [link the related issue](https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/linking-a-pull-request-to-an-issue)


Would prefer to keep this.

scottshambaugh · 2026-07-23T15:59:12Z

- [ ] "closes #0000" is in the body of the PR description to [link the related issue](https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/linking-a-pull-request-to-an-issue)
 - [ ] new and changed code is [tested](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/testing.html)
 - [ ] *Plotting related* features are demonstrated in an [example](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/document.html#write-examples-and-tutorials)
 - [ ] *New Features* and *API Changes* are noted with a [directive and release note](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/api_changes.html#announce-changes-deprecations-and-new-features)


Suggested change

- [ ] *New Features* and *API Changes* are noted with a [directive and release note](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/api_changes.html#announce-changes-deprecations-and-new-features)

- [ ] *New Features* and *API Changes* have [release notes](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/api_changes.html#announce-changes-deprecations-and-new-features)

scottshambaugh · 2026-07-23T16:00:11Z

-<!-- Please mark any checkboxes that do not apply to this PR as [N/A].-->
-
- [ ] "closes #0000" is in the body of the PR description to [link the related issue](https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/linking-a-pull-request-to-an-issue)
 - [ ] new and changed code is [tested](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/testing.html)


Suggested change

- [ ] new and changed code is [tested](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/testing.html)

- [ ] New and changed code is [tested](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/testing.html)

scottshambaugh · 2026-07-23T16:04:32Z


 ## PR summary
-<!-- Please describe the pull request, using the questions below as guidance, and link to any relevant issues and PRs:
+<!-- Please describe what issue is resolved and why you chose this solution. -->


Suggested change





I think this should remain either here or in the checklist.

I suggested we use issue instead of problem b/c they're close enough synonyms but Issue contains the link back to issues.

story645 reviewed Jul 22, 2026

View reviewed changes

timhoffm force-pushed the pr-template branch from 6b35cfb to d0a9696 Compare July 23, 2026 07:19

rcomer reviewed Jul 23, 2026

View reviewed changes

scottshambaugh reviewed Jul 23, 2026

View reviewed changes

	.. dropdown:: `Pull request template <https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md>`_
	:open:

	.. literalinclude:: ../../.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
	:language: markdown

	- [ ] I am aware of and have followed the [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)
	- [ ] this PR complies with [matplotlib pull request guidelines](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/pr_guide.html#pull-request-guidelines)

	Please check the following box!
	Please check the relevant boxes below!

	- [ ] New Features and API Changes are noted with a [directive and release note](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/api_changes.html#announce-changes-deprecations-and-new-features)
	- [ ] New Features and API Changes have [release notes](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/api_changes.html#announce-changes-deprecations-and-new-features)

	- [ ] new and changed code is [tested](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/testing.html)
	- [ ] New and changed code is [tested](https://matplotlib.org/devdocs/devel/testing.html)

-<!-- Please describe what issue is resolved and why you chose this solution. -->
+<!--
+Please describe what problem this resolves and why you chose this solution.
+Write "Closes #00000" if this fixes [an existing issue](https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/issues).
+-->

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