GitHub NEW File Tree View in Pull Requests: a HUGE Productivity Boost 🥳🥳🥳
Tags: github, devops, productivity, pullrequest
Published: 2022-03-04 03:46:37

GitHub has finally introduced a feature ___everyone___ was asking for: the __File Tree View in the Pull Request experience__!

It may seem like a small thing, but in fact this makes a huge difference to the productivity in a PR.

### Video

As usual, if you are a __visual learner__, or simply prefer to watch and listen instead of reading, here you have __a very quick video on how to activate this feature__.

{% youtube OfICx2_oVo0 %}

[Link to the video: https://youtu.be/OfICx2_oVo0](https://youtu.be/OfICx2_oVo0)

If you rather prefer reading, well... let's just continue :)

### What is the File Tree View

If you are familiar with the GitHub Pull Request experience, this is what you normally see:

![GitHub PR Old View](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/usi74cfhe9z30f1ktupn.png)

It represents a list of changes that have been made to the files included in the Pull Request. This list, however useful, is __flat__ and as such it doesn't help you understanding how many files have been touched and where they belong to.

The new Pull Request Experience with the File Tree View, instead, enhance that screen, helping with __visualizing the full structure__ of the files affected by the PR:

![GitHub PR New View](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/1cwidn6gww42ksmp4zqw.png)

As you can see the whole file and folder structure is added to the left hand side of the screen

![File Tree](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/mglyt4f7lt5h79aasvri.png)

The new view also shows if a file has been modified (yellow mark), or added (green sign).

This is really cool, and something that has been lacking in GitHub for a long time.


### How to Enable the File Tree View in your Pull Requests

At the moment of writing this post, the new __File Tree view is still in preview__.

To activate it, you can go to your _Profile Settings_, and select _Feature Preview_.

![Feature Preview menu](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/0xehx49rgf3j10wi9cs6.png)

In here, you will see a new _Pull Request File Tree_ option. Click on it, and then click on _Enable_.

![Enable File Tree View](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/oiplx55rtrlyonava155.png)

Now you can go back to your PR screen, refresh it, and the new view will show in all its beauty 🥳🥳🥳

### Conclusions

What do you think of this new feature? Were you waiting for it? Let me know in the comments below.

Also, if you want to see how you should manage your Pull Requests, [check out this video here](https://youtu.be/lSnbOtw4izI).

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{% youtube OfICx2_oVo0 %}