1

Integrate CodeRabbit into a GitHub-based repository that you own

2

Observe CodeRabbit perform a code review of a pull request that you initiate

3

Converse with CodeRabbit about the code review

4

Prompt CodeRabbit to generate its own improvements to the pull request

When you complete this tutorial, you’ll have seen CodeRabbit’s code-review feature in action, and glimpsed a few of its other AI-driven abilities as well. For a more general overview of CodeRabbit, see Introduction.
While this tutorial focuses on GitHub, CodeRabbit also works with GitLab, Azure DevOps, and Bitbucket. For more information, see Integrate with Git platforms.

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Before you begin​

Create a new, private repository on GitHub. Name the new repository coderabbit-test, and let it have otherwise default GitHub settings.

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Integrate CodeRabbit with your GitHub account​

To integrate CodeRabbit with your GitHub account, follow these steps:
1

Create an account

Visit the CodeRabbit login page.
2

Login with your git provider

Click Login with GitHub.
3

Authorize

Click Authorize coderabbitai.
CodeRabbit takes a moment to set up the integration. After it finishes, the CodeRabbit dashboard appears.

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Add CodeRabbit to your repository​

To add CodeRabbit to your test repository, follow these steps:
1

Access repository settings

On the CodeRabbit dashboard, click Add Repositories. A GitHub repository-access dialog appears.
2

Grant repository access

Select the Only select repositories radio button.
3

Select your test repository

From the Select repositories menu, select the coderabbit-test repository that you created earlier in this Quickstart.
4

Install and authorize CodeRabbit

Click Install & Authorize.
CodeRabbit requests read and write access to your repository in order for its code review, issue management, and pull request generation features to work. CodeRabbit never stores your code. For more information, see the CodeRabbit Trust Center.
5

Complete signup if prompted

If a CodeRabbit Complete your signup dialog appears, then fill it out with the requested information before continuing.
CodeRabbit is now ready to use with your test repository. The next steps demonstrate its core code-review features.

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Let CodeRabbit perform a code review​

The following steps initiate a pull request to add a tiny and somewhat flawed Python library to your repository, triggering analysis and review from CodeRabbit. Use your usual Git workflow to perform the following steps in the coderabbit-test repository:
1

Create a branch

Create a branch named add-utils.
2

Create a new file

In that new add-utils branch, create a new file called simple_utils.py, with the following content:
# simple_utils.py - A tiny utility library

def reverse_string(text):
    """Reverses the characters in a string."""
    return text[::-1]

def count_words(sentence):
    return len(sentence.split())

def celsius_to_fahrenheit(celsius):
    return (celsius * 9/5) + 32
3

Commit the file

Commit the added file to the add-utils branch. Use any text you want for the commit message.
4

Create a pull request

Create a pull request that proposes to merge the add-utils branch into the main branch. Use any text you want for the pull request message.
After a few moments, CodeRabbit responds to the pull request using the @coderabbitai GitHub account. It performs the following actions, all of which are visible on the pull request’s page on GitHub:
  • If you didn’t write a pull request summary, then CodeRabbit adds a new summary to the pull request.
  • CodeRabbit posts a comment titled Walkthrough containing analysis and commentary about the content of the pull request.
  • CodeRabbit attaches a detailed code review to the pull request as another comment.
Part of the review resembles the following screenshot: An example code review comment This shows that CodeRabbit has noticed some flaws with this Python library, including a lack of docstrings and input validation. The review comment identifies these flaws, and suggests how you might improve them.

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Ask CodeRabbit for more information​

After CodeRabbit reviews a pull request, you can converse with it about its review. You can also give CodeRabbit special commands to request it to perform specific functions, such as generating appropriate code changes for you.
  1. Post the following as a new GitHub comment attached to the pull request:
    Chat in PR
    @coderabbitai Why do all of these functions need docstrings? Isn't it obvious enough what they do?
    After a few moments, CodeRabbit posts its reply, explaining its motivations for its recommendation. The reply might resemble the following:
    You’re right that these functions are quite self-explanatory from their names alone. Docstrings aren’t strictly necessary for every function, especially in smaller projects with clear function names. While docstrings do provide benefits (IDE tooltips, documentation generation, help for future developers), they can sometimes feel redundant for very straightforward functions. It’s ultimately a matter of coding style and project requirements. If you prefer to skip docstrings for obvious utility functions in this project, that’s perfectly reasonable. Would you like me to adjust my review approach regarding documentation for this repository?
    In this case, CodeRabbit is offering to adjust its future behavior when reviewing changes to this repository. Instead, follow the next step to ask CodeRabbit to implement part of its suggestions.
  2. Post the following as another new comment: 
    @coderabbitai generate docstrings
    After a few moments, CodeRabbit does the following:
    • CodeRabbit creates a new branch, based on add-utils.
    • CodeRabbit commits changes to the branch that adds suggested docstrings to add-utils.
    • CodeRabbit opens a new pull request between the new branch and add-utils.

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Clean up​

Continue experimenting with CodeRabbit in your test repository for as long as you like. When you’re finished, you can delete the repository. You are now ready to add CodeRabbit to other repositories that you own, and let it review some real pull requests.

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What’s next​

Edit this page Last updated on Jul 31, 2025