Managing Protected Branches in GitLab

Introduction

Protected branches prevent force pushes and deletions, ensuring only authorized users can modify critical branches like main or production. For step-by-step creation and protection, see Creating and Protecting Branches.

Configure Protected Branches

1. Go to your project in GitLab.
2. Navigate to Settings > Repository.
3. Expand the Protected Branches section.
4. Select a branch and define allowed roles for merge and push.
5. Click Protect to apply the settings.

Use Cases

• Restrict direct pushes to main to Maintainers or higher.
• Require merge requests to include approvals before merging.
• Lock release branches during deployments.

Best Practices

• Protect long-lived branches like main, develop, and release branches.
• Combine with merge request approvals for stronger control.
• Periodically review permissions for least-privilege access.

Further Reading

• GitLab Protected Branches Documentation