GitHub Copilot adds stacked sessions for multi-branch PRs

GitHub Copilot now supports stacked sessions and stacked pull requests, a workflow feature that lets developers queue dependent code changes across multiple branches without losing context. The update, announced July 30, targets teams juggling complex feature work where one PR depends on another that hasn't merged yet.

The feature sits inside the GitHub Copilot app rather than just the IDE extension. Developers can layer coding sessions, each tied to a specific branch or PR, and Copilot maintains awareness of the full dependency chain when suggesting code.

What stacked sessions actually do

Stacking refers to a development pattern where you build feature B on top of unmerged feature A. Traditionally this creates headaches: rebasing nightmares, merge conflicts, and lost context when switching between branches. Git tooling like git-branchless and Graphite have tackled this at the version control layer.

GitHub's approach integrates stacking directly into Copilot's AI assistance. When you're working on the third PR in a stack, Copilot sees the uncommitted and unmerged changes from PRs one and two. It suggests code that accounts for interfaces you defined but haven't shipped yet.

The practical effect: fewer broken builds when you rebase, and less time re-explaining context to your AI assistant after switching branches.

Why this matters for larger teams

Solo developers can muddle through stacked branches manually. Teams cannot. When three engineers each own one PR in a dependency chain, coordination becomes the bottleneck. Who rebases when? Whose local environment is out of sync?

GitHub reports over 77,000 organizations use Copilot. For those shops, stacked sessions turn a manual synchronization problem into something the tooling handles. The feature also fits GitHub's broader push to keep developers inside its platform rather than bolting on third-party stacking tools.

What GitHub didn't say

The announcement, authored by Cassidy Williams, GitHub's senior director for developer advocacy, omits a few details teams will want before adopting the feature.

Pricing tier access isn't specified. Copilot Individual runs $10/month; Copilot Business runs $19/month. Whether stacked sessions require the higher tier remains unclear. GitHub also hasn't published documentation on how stacked sessions interact with protected branches or required reviews.

There's also no word on IDE support. If stacked sessions live in the Copilot app but not the VS Code or JetBrains extensions, adoption will lag. Developers live in their editors, not in browser tabs.

The competitive angle

Graphite, the stacked PR startup, has spent three years building exactly this workflow. GitHub entering the space directly threatens that business model. When the platform owner ships a feature, the ecosystem tool often dies.

That said, GitHub's implementation appears focused on AI awareness of stacks rather than the full review and merge automation Graphite provides. There may be room for both. Or GitHub may ship those features next quarter.

For teams already managing projects in ClickUp or Asana, the stacked sessions feature raises a coordination question: how do dependent PRs map to dependent tasks? GitHub's issue tracker has never been strong at cross-issue dependencies. That gap hasn't closed.

Source: The GitHub Blog / Cassidy Williams