Branch Protection

Configure and manage GitHub branch protection rules with AI-powered recommendations. Secure your main branches with just a few clicks.

Overview

Branch protection rules prevent unauthorized changes to important branches like main or master. Jasper makes it easy to configure these rules with:

  • AI Recommendations - Get personalized suggestions based on your repo context
  • Preset Templates - Apply standard, strict, or locked protection with one click
  • Chat Interface - Ask questions and get guidance in natural language
  • One-Click Apply - Implement recommended rules instantly

GitHub Permission Required

Branch protection requires the Administration permission in your GitHub App installation. Most organizations have already granted this permission.

Quick Start: Require Resolved Conversations

Want to block PRs until all review conversations are resolved? Here's the fastest way:

  1. Go to Repository Settings → Branch Protection
  2. Click Configure with AI
  3. Type: Require all conversations to be resolved before merging on main
  4. Click Apply when Jasper shows the configuration

Alternative Quick Prompts

  • "Use the Conversations Required template"
  • "Enable conversation resolution for main branch"
  • "Block merging until all comments are addressed"
  • "Use Strict template" (includes conversation resolution + more)

Accessing Branch Protection

  1. Go to Repositories and select a repository
  2. Click the Settings tab
  3. Find the Branch Protection card
  4. Click Configure with AI to open the chat interface

AI Chat Interface

The AI chat interface is the easiest way to configure branch protection. Simply describe what you want, and Jasper will generate the appropriate rules.

Example Prompts

  • "Set up basic protection for my main branch"
  • "I want to require 2 code reviews before merging"
  • "What protection do you recommend for a production app?"
  • "Enable strict mode with required status checks"
  • "Lock down the release branch so only admins can push"

How It Works

  1. Ask - Type your question or requirement in natural language
  2. Review - Jasper explains the recommended configuration
  3. Apply - Click "Apply" to implement the changes
  4. Verify - Jasper confirms the rules are in place

Protection Templates

Choose from predefined templates for common use cases:

Standard Protection

Good for most repositories. Includes:

  • Require 1 pull request review
  • Require status checks to pass
  • Block force pushes
  • Block branch deletion

Strict Protection

For production-critical repositories. Includes everything in Standard plus:

  • Require 2 pull request reviews
  • Require code owner review
  • Dismiss stale reviews when new commits are pushed
  • Require conversation resolution
  • Require branches to be up to date

Locked Protection

Maximum security for release branches. Includes everything in Strict plus:

  • Require linear history (no merge commits)
  • Apply rules to administrators
  • Lock the branch (read-only)

Conversations Required

Ensures all Jasper review conversations are resolved before merging. Includes everything in Standard plus:

  • Require the Jasper Review Threads status check
  • Require conversation resolution
  • PRs cannot merge until every Jasper comment is resolved and answered

Why Use Conversations Required?

This template is ideal for teams that want to ensure all code review feedback is addressed before merging. Unlike GitHub's native conversation resolution (which only tracks GitHub review threads), this tracks Jasper's inline comments specifically.

When to Use Each Template

Template Best For Conversation Resolution
Standard Small teams, personal projects, fast iteration No
Conversations Required Teams wanting to ensure feedback is addressed without heavy review requirements Yes + Jasper status check
Strict Production apps, larger teams, compliance needs Yes
Locked Release branches, audit trails, maximum security Yes

Available Protection Rules

Jasper can configure all GitHub branch protection options:

Pull Request Requirements

Rule Description
Required Reviews Number of approving reviews required (1-6)
Dismiss Stale Reviews Invalidate approvals when new commits are pushed
Require Code Owners Require review from designated code owners
Last Push Approval Require approval from someone other than the last pusher
Conversation Resolution All PR conversations must be resolved before merge

Status Check Requirements

Rule Description
Required Status Checks Specific CI checks that must pass
Strict Status Checks Branch must be up to date before merging

Push Restrictions

Rule Description
Block Force Pushes Prevent history rewriting
Block Deletions Prevent branch from being deleted
Push Restrictions Limit who can push directly (bypassing PRs)
Linear History Require rebase or squash (no merge commits)
Lock Branch Make branch completely read-only

Admin Enforcement

Rule Description
Enforce for Admins Apply all rules to repository administrators too

Adding Jasper as a Status Check

To make Quality Gates block PRs, add Jasper as a required status check:

  1. Open the branch protection chat
  2. Ask: "Add Jasper as a required status check"
  3. Or manually in GitHub: Settings → Branches → Add rule → Require status checks → Search for "Jasper"

Pro Tip

When you add Jasper as a required status check, PRs cannot be merged until Jasper completes its review and the quality gates pass. This ensures all code is reviewed before merging.

Jasper Review Threads Check

The Jasper Review Threads check makes sure every comment Jasper leaves is answered before a PR can merge. Clicking "Resolve conversation" is not enough: someone has to say what they changed, or why they are not changing it.

How It Works

  1. Jasper reviews the commit - While the review runs, the check shows "Waiting for Jasper's review"
  2. Jasper leaves inline comments - Each one starts a review thread
  3. Your team answers each thread - Reply with what changed or why not, then resolve the thread
  4. The check updates - It re-runs whenever a thread is resolved or reopened, a reply is added, edited or deleted, or new commits are pushed
  5. The PR can merge - Once every Jasper thread is resolved and answered, the check passes

What Counts as an Answer?

  • A reply from a person, not a bot, in the same thread
  • At least 20 characters once quotes, links, and filler words are removed
  • "Fixed in a1b2c3d: moved the query into the service" counts. "done", "fixed, thanks", and 👍 do not

When the check fails, its details list every thread that still needs an answer, with a link and the reason.

Enabling It

  1. Turn on Require answers to Jasper's comments in Settings → Review Prompt
  2. Add Jasper Review Threads as a required status check in your branch protection or ruleset, using the Conversations Required template or by editing an existing rule

Turn the setting on first. Open PRs get the check on their next push or thread change, and a required check that has never run blocks merging. To switch it off, remove the required check first, or new pushes will wait for a check that no longer runs.

Or Ask the AI

In the branch protection chat, ask:

  • "Require all Jasper conversations to be resolved before merging"
  • "Add the conversations required check to my main branch"
  • "Block PRs until all review comments are addressed"

Viewing Current Protection

To see what protection rules are currently active:

  1. Open the branch protection interface
  2. Click View Current Rules
  3. Jasper will fetch and display the current GitHub configuration

You can also ask the AI: "What protection is currently set up?"

GitHub Rulesets

Jasper also supports the newer GitHub Rulesets feature, which offers additional capabilities:

  • Multiple Rulesets - Apply different rules to different branch patterns
  • Evaluate Mode - Test rules before enforcing them
  • Organization Rulesets - Apply rules across all repos (Enterprise)
  • Better Visibility - Anyone with read access can see active rules

Ask the AI: "Set up a ruleset for all feature branches" to use this feature.

Best Practices

For Small Teams

  • Start with Standard protection
  • Require 1 review minimum
  • Add Jasper as a required status check
  • Block force pushes to prevent accidents

For Larger Teams

  • Use Strict protection for main branches
  • Require 2+ reviews for important repositories
  • Enable code owners for critical paths
  • Require conversation resolution

For Compliance Requirements

  • Use Locked protection for release branches
  • Enforce rules for administrators
  • Require linear history for audit trails
  • Enable branch deletion protection

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied Error

If you see a permission error when applying rules:

  • Verify the Jasper GitHub App has Administration permission
  • Check that you're an admin or owner of the repository
  • Try reinstalling the GitHub App with updated permissions

Rules Not Being Enforced

  • Verify the branch name matches the protection pattern
  • Check if "Enforce for administrators" is enabled
  • Ensure you're not bypassing via the GitHub UI

Status Check Not Found

If "Jasper" doesn't appear in the status check list:

  • Trigger at least one review on the repository first
  • Status checks only appear after they've run once
  • Try creating a test PR to generate the status check

AI Security Recommendations

Jasper proactively analyzes your repositories and suggests security improvements:

  • Security Gap - "Main branch has no protection" (Critical)
  • Best Practice - "Consider requiring code owner reviews" (Medium)
  • New Feature - "GitHub now supports merge queues" (Info)
  • Optimization - "You require 3 reviews but only have 2 contributors" (Low)

These recommendations appear in the branch protection interface and can be applied with a single click.

Was this page helpful?
Next Webhooks