Number of Cycles
Pull Request Lifecycle
cycles
Shows the average number of commit-review iterations needed to merge pull requests.
💡 Like editing a document, each cycle is a round of edits and feedback. One cycle is ideal; many cycles suggest the first draft needed more polish.
What It Measures
Shows the average number of commit-review iterations needed to merge pull requests.
Why It Matters
Highlighting rework or review churn
Understanding how many rounds of feedback PRs typically require
How It's Calculated
Calculates the average cycle count for merged pull requests.
AVG(cycles_count WHERE pr_status = merged)Concrete Example
If your average PR requires 2.3 review cycles, most PRs need at least two rounds of feedback before merging, common but worth monitoring for trends.
What Does a Healthy Score Look Like?
Lower is better, fewer cycles means cleaner initial submissions.
Healthy
1.0–1.5 cycles on average
Watch Out
1.5–2.5 cycles
Needs Attention
Over 2.5 cycles, significant rework per PR
What Moves This Metric?
Goes up when…
PRs submitted before thorough self-review
Unclear requirements leading to misaligned implementations
Reviewers having different standards or expectations
Goes down when…
Authors doing a thorough self-review before submitting
Well-defined acceptance criteria reducing ambiguity
Regular team discussions on coding standards
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