---
stage: Create
group: Source Code
info: "To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments"
type: reference, api
---
# Protected branches API **(FREE)**
> Introduced in GitLab 9.5.
**Valid access levels**
The access levels are defined in the `ProtectedRefAccess.allowed_access_levels` method. Currently, these levels are recognized:
```plaintext
0 => No access
30 => Developer access
40 => Maintainer access
60 => Admin access
```
## List protected branches
Gets a list of protected branches from a project as they are defined [in the UI](../user/project/protected_branches.md#configure-a-protected-branch). If a wildcard is set, it is returned instead of the exact name of the branches that match that wildcard.
```plaintext
GET /projects/:id/protected_branches
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the project](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `search` | string | no | Name or part of the name of protected branches to be searched for |
```shell
curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches"
```
Example response:
```json
[
{
"id": 1,
"name": "master",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
},
{
"id": 1,
"name": "release/*",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
},
...
]
```
Users on GitLab Premium or higher also see
the `user_id` and `group_id` parameters:
Example response:
```json
[
{
"id": 1,
"name": "master",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": null,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": 1234,
"access_level_description": "Example Merge Group"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
},
...
]
```
## Get a single protected branch or wildcard protected branch
Gets a single protected branch or wildcard protected branch.
```plaintext
GET /projects/:id/protected_branches/:name
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the project](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `name` | string | yes | The name of the branch or wildcard |
```shell
curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches/master"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 1,
"name": "master",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
}
```
Users on GitLab Premium or higher also see
the `user_id` and `group_id` parameters:
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 1,
"name": "master",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": null,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": 1234,
"access_level_description": "Example Merge Group"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
}
```
## Protect repository branches
Protects a single repository branch or several project repository
branches using a wildcard protected branch.
```plaintext
POST /projects/:id/protected_branches
```
```shell
curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches?name=*-stable&push_access_level=30&merge_access_level=30&unprotect_access_level=40"
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the project](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `name` | string | yes | The name of the branch or wildcard |
| `push_access_level` | string | no | Access levels allowed to push (defaults: `40`, Maintainer role) |
| `merge_access_level` | string | no | Access levels allowed to merge (defaults: `40`, Maintainer role) |
| `unprotect_access_level` | string | no | Access levels allowed to unprotect (defaults: `40`, Maintainer role) |
| `allow_force_push` | boolean | no | Allow all users with push access to force push. (default: `false`) |
| `allowed_to_push` | array | no | **(PREMIUM)** Array of access levels allowed to push, with each described by a hash |
| `allowed_to_merge` | array | no | **(PREMIUM)** Array of access levels allowed to merge, with each described by a hash |
| `allowed_to_unprotect` | array | no | **(PREMIUM)** Array of access levels allowed to unprotect, with each described by a hash |
| `code_owner_approval_required` | boolean | no | **(PREMIUM)** Prevent pushes to this branch if it matches an item in the [`CODEOWNERS` file](../user/project/code_owners.md). (defaults: false) |
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 1,
"name": "*-stable",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 30,
"access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 30,
"access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
}
],
"unprotect_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
}
```
Users on GitLab Premium or higher also see
the `user_id` and `group_id` parameters:
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 1,
"name": "*-stable",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 30,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 30,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
}
],
"unprotect_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
}
```
### Example with user / group level access **(PREMIUM)**
Elements in the `allowed_to_push` / `allowed_to_merge` / `allowed_to_unprotect` array should take the
form `{user_id: integer}`, `{group_id: integer}`, or `{access_level: integer}`. Each user must have access to the project and each group must [have this project shared](../user/project/members/share_project_with_groups.md). These access levels allow [more granular control over protected branch access](../user/project/protected_branches.md).
```shell
curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches?name=*-stable&allowed_to_push%5B%5D%5Buser_id%5D=1"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 1,
"name": "*-stable",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": null,
"user_id": 1,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Administrator"
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"unprotect_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers"
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
}
```
### Example with allow to push and allow to merge access **(PREMIUM)**
> Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.
Example request:
```shell
curl --request POST \
--header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--data '{
"id": 5,
"name": "master",
"allowed_to_push": [{"access_level": 30}],
"allowed_to_merge": [{
"access_level": 30
},{
"access_level": 40
}
]}'
"https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 5,
"name": "master",
"push_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 30,
"access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers",
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null
}
],
"merge_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 30,
"access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers",
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null
},
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers",
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null
}
],
"unprotect_access_levels": [
{
"access_level": 40,
"access_level_description": "Maintainers",
"user_id": null,
"group_id": null
}
],
"allow_force_push":false,
"code_owner_approval_required": false
}
```
## Unprotect repository branches
Unprotects the given protected branch or wildcard protected branch.
```plaintext
DELETE /projects/:id/protected_branches/:name
```
```shell
curl --request DELETE --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches/*-stable"
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the project](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `name` | string | yes | The name of the branch |
## Require code owner approvals for a single branch
Update the "code owner approval required" option for the given protected branch.
```plaintext
PATCH /projects/:id/protected_branches/:name
```
```shell
curl --request PATCH --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/protected_branches/feature-branch"
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the project](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `name` | string | yes | The name of the branch |
| `code_owner_approval_required` | boolean | no | **(PREMIUM)** Prevent pushes to this branch if it matches an item in the [`CODEOWNERS` file](../user/project/code_owners.md). (defaults: false)|