# Concepts for MergeQueue

- [Queue Modes](/mergequeue/concepts/queue-modes.md): Check the main queue modes MergeQueue can be configured to operate in. Default, parallel, and no queue modes explained with different features and performance.
- [Pull Request Lifecycle](/mergequeue/concepts/pull-request-lifecycle.md): Learn the main states a pull request can be in MergeQueue. MergeQueue tracks pull requests from the time they are opened until they are merged or closed.
- [Analytics](/mergequeue/concepts/analytics.md): Check out the analytics metrics you can access on the Analytics page of Aviator and what they mean. Time in Queue, Aviator bot usage, PR failure reasons, etc.
- [Parallel Mode](/mergequeue/concepts/parallel-mode.md): Learn about parallel mode in MergeQueue, how to configure it, Draft PRs created in this mode by Aviator, CI behaviors, managing parallelism, and other details.
- [CI Status Requirements](/mergequeue/concepts/ci-status-requirements.md): MergeQueue allows you to add more requirements at different levels. Learn about pre-queue status requirements and draft PR status requirements supported.
- [MQ Created Branches](/mergequeue/concepts/optimizing-ci-execution.md): Find out when Aviator MergeQueue automatically creates branches and pull requests in our guide. mq-bot-\* branches and draft PRs, mq-tmp-\* branches, and more.
- [Batching](/mergequeue/concepts/batching.md): Learn the nuances of batching and related FAQs. Batching works alongside Parallel mode to scale the throughput of PRs merged, by merging more PRs per CI run.
- [Managing flaky tests](/mergequeue/concepts/managing-flaky-tests-in-mergequeue.md): Learn about the flaky test problem in parallel mode and how to manage flaky tests with optimistic validation. Optimistic validation configuration instructions.
- [Fast-forwarding](/mergequeue/concepts/fast-forwarding.md): With MergeQueue fast-forwarding, Aviator builds parallel speculative pipelines in sequential order, guaranteeing that the default branch is always green.
- [Pre-Queue Conditions](/mergequeue/concepts/pre-queue-conditions.md): Learn what pre-queue conditions you can set to make a PR meet them before entering a queue. Number of approvals, required GitHub checks, and others.
- [Sticky Comments](/mergequeue/concepts/sticky-comments.md): Aviator provides sticky comments to show the PR status within GitHub. Check out the core comments that are generated to better understand when you can see them.
- [Backporting](/mergequeue/concepts/backporting.md): Read how backporting works with Aviator MergeQueue. Backport a particular PR on another base branch to create a new PR that keeps and applies original changes.
- [Paused Queues](/mergequeue/concepts/paused-queues.md): Read about the paused queues feature and how MergeQueue works when a queue is paused. Pausing a queue allows you to control whether devs can merge PRs.
- [Affected Targets](/mergequeue/concepts/affected-targets.md): MergeQueue affected targets overview and configuration. Create dynamic queues to combine multi-queue and parallel processing benefits for merging PRs.
- [Directory-Based Affected Targets](/mergequeue/concepts/affected-targets/directory-based-affected-targets.md): Get setup instructions for automated and manually specified targets. Learn how to manually define targets based on your directory structure in our guide.
- [nx based affected targets](/mergequeue/concepts/affected-targets/nx-based-affected-targets.md): Read how to configure Nx-based targets in MergeQueue. Nx is a popular build framework for monorepos that identifies the targets that are affected by a change.
- [GitHub Actions based Affected Targets](/mergequeue/concepts/affected-targets/github-actions-based-affected-targets.md): Learn how to configure GitHub Actions workflows to run only when certain files are changed. MergeQueue can identify the affected targets for the queue.
- [ChangeSets](/mergequeue/concepts/changesets.md): Read an overview of the ChangeSets feature. It allows you to create a list of PRs to be merged together, which is helpful for merging a large number of PRs.
- [Global CI Validation](/mergequeue/concepts/changesets/global-ci-validation.md): Discover the Global CI Validation setting in MergeQueue ChangeSets. It enables Aviator to issue webhooks you can use to trigger CI tests for pre-merge checks.
- [ChangeSets FAQs](/mergequeue/concepts/changesets/faqs.md): Find answers to common questions about the ChangeSets feature that creates a list of PRs to be merged.
- [Priority Merges](/mergequeue/concepts/priority-merges.md): Find out how the priority merge feature works. When this label is applied to a pull request, Aviator moves it to the front of the queue to be merged first.
- [Instant Merges](/mergequeue/concepts/priority-merges/instant-merges.md): Read about instant merges, why use instant merge, and how to configure it in our guide. This method merges the PR directly without waiting for the CI to finish.
- [Merge Rules Audit Trail](/mergequeue/concepts/audit-trail.md): Learn details about how merge rules audit trail works. It allows you to know when your merge rules have been changed, and who changed them for better tracking.
- [Timeline](/mergequeue/concepts/timeline.md): Read more about the Timeline tool. It allows you to look at all the current and past actions by Aviator and filter activities based on event and base branches.
- [Ready Hook](/mergequeue/concepts/ready-hook.md): Learn what are ready hooks in MergeQueue and how they work. User-defined ready hooks can execute custom JavaScript code to control MergeQueue behavior.
- [Reduce Queue Failures From Staleness](/mergequeue/concepts/reducing-queue-failures-due-to-staleness.md): When a code review takes too long, by the time the PR is ready to be merged, the PR may become stale. Get troubleshooting instructions here.