How long should it take to review a PR?

Aim for first response within 7 days, especially for first-time contributors. A 'thanks, I'll review this weekend' comment is enough. The full review can take 1-2 weeks for non-trivial changes. Slow responses are the #1 reason contributors don't come back.

How do I handle AI-generated PRs that don't add value?

Be polite but firm. The 2026 maintainer burnout data shows AI slop is a real contributor to the 44% burnout rate. The right response: 'Thanks for the PR. Unfortunately this doesn't fit the project's direction — I appreciate the effort.' Close the PR. Don't merge a PR that doesn't add value just to be polite.

Blog · For maintainers

How to handle pull requests as an open source maintainer

Q: How do I handle a low-quality PR?

Be specific about what's missing. 'This needs tests, a docstring, and a few minor refactors — happy to review after those changes' is much better than 'closing due to lack of quality'. The contributor can come back with the changes. A closed PR with no feedback is a contributor lost.

The maintainer's guide to PR review. The 5-step workflow, how to be welcoming to first-time contributors, and how to handle the bad PRs (spam, AI slop, drive-by).

Published July 13, 2026 · ~4 min read

The response time SLA

First response within 7 days for first-time contributors. A "thanks, I'll review this weekend" comment is enough. Slow responses are the #1 reason contributors don't come back.

The 5-step review workflow

1. Acknowledge within 7 days

A simple "thanks for the PR, I'll review this weekend" comment is enough. The contributor now knows you saw it, you didn't lose it, and the review is coming. This single comment is the difference between a contributor who comes back and one who doesn't.

2. Check the contributor's first-time status

If this is a first-time contributor, your review style should be different. Be more welcoming, more explicit about what you're looking for, more patient. A first-time contributor who gets a "thanks, can you add tests" review will often come back with tests. A first-time contributor who gets a "closing due to lack of quality" close will never come back.

3. Read the code, not the contributor

Read the code, not the contributor's reputation. A PR from a first-time contributor with great code is a great PR. A PR from a regular contributor with bad code is a bad PR. The code is the artifact; review the artifact.

4. Be specific in feedback

"This needs tests, a docstring, and a few minor refactors — happy to review after those changes" is much better than "closing due to lack of quality" or "this is not up to our standards." Specific feedback gives the contributor a path forward. Vague feedback gives them nothing.

5. Thank them

"Thanks for the PR, this fixes a real bug and the test coverage is great" is two lines and it means a lot. The contributor just spent hours of their free time on your project. The least you can do is thank them by name in the merge commit.

How to handle the bad PRs

The 2026 maintainer burnout data shows AI slop is a real contributor to the 44% burnout rate. The right response to a low-quality PR is polite but firm:

Spam PRs: close without comment. The user is not a contributor, they're a marketer.
AI slop PRs: "Thanks for the PR. Unfortunately this doesn't fit the project's direction — I appreciate the effort." Close. Don't merge a PR that doesn't add value just to be polite.
Drive-by PRs (a one-line typo fix on a 100k-line project): thank the contributor, merge, move on. A 1-line typo fix is a real improvement. Don't ask them to refactor the whole module.
PRs that don't fit the project's direction: be honest. "This is a good idea but it doesn't fit where we're going with v2. Thanks for the effort." Close.

Frequently asked questions

How long should PR review take?

First response within 7 days. Full review can take 1-2 weeks for non-trivial changes.

How do I handle a low-quality PR?

Be specific about what's missing. Give the contributor a path forward.

How do I handle AI slop PRs?

Be polite but firm. Don't merge a PR that doesn't add value just to be polite.