How to set up branch protection rules in GitHub

Branch protection rules in GitHub are important for maintaining the integrity of critical branches, such as main or release. These rules help teams enforce code review policies, manage access, and automate workflows to ensure that changes meet quality standards before they are merged. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to setting up branch protection rules in GitHub.

Understanding GitHub branch protection rules

Branch protection rules in GitHub are designed to prevent direct changes to important branches and ensure that all modifications go through a defined workflow. This feature helps teams:

• Prevent errors and code conflicts on important branches.
• Enforce code reviews before merging.
• Automate testing and other checks that confirm changes are safe to deploy.

Setting up branch protection rules in GitHub

Here’s how to configure branch protection rules to secure your branches and streamline your development process:

1. Navigate to your repository settings

• Open your GitHub repository.
• Click on the 'Settings' tab near the top of the repository page.

2. Access the branches section

• In the left sidebar under the repository settings, click on 'Branches'.

3. Add or edit branch protection rules

• You will see a section labeled 'Branch protection rules'.
• Click on 'Add rule' to create a new set of rules, or select an existing rule to edit.

4. Define the branch protection rule

• Apply rule to: Enter the branch name pattern, such as main or release*, to which these rules will apply.
• Branch name pattern: Use wildcard characters to apply rules to multiple branches if necessary.

5. Configure the protection settings

Here are some common settings you might consider enabling:

• Require pull request reviews before merging: Ensure that at least one other person reviews the code before it can be merged.
• Require status checks to pass before merging: Set up required status checks such as continuous integration tests that must pass before merging.
• Require signed commits: Require all commits to be signed with a GPG or S/MIME signature.
• Include administrators: Apply these rules to everyone, including repository administrators.
• Restrict who can push to matching branches: Specify which users or teams can push to the protected branch.

6. Enforce branch protection GitHub workflow

• Review and approve changes: Ensure that only approved changes are merged into the protected branches.
• Automate deployment pipelines: Utilize GitHub Actions or other CI/CD tools to automate builds, tests, and deployments based on successful merges to protected branches.

7. Save the protection rules

• After configuring all the necessary settings, click 'Save changes' at the bottom of the page to enforce the branch protection rules.

Best practices for branch protection

• Regularly review and update your branch protection settings: Keep your rules up-to-date with new development practices or team structures.
• Educate your team on the importance of branch protection: Make sure all team members understand why these rules are in place and how to work with them.
• Use branch protection as part of a comprehensive security and quality strategy: Combine branch protections with other practices such as code scanning and security reviews to maintain high standards.