CODEOWNERS file

As explained in Automating API Delivery

A CODEOWNERS file is a repository configuration file that maps specified files, file types, or directories to the individuals or teams responsible for reviewing changes.

A CODEOWNERS file assigns individuals or teams responsibility for reviewing specified files, file types, or directories. When a pull request changes an owned path, the listed owners must approve it before merging, and they are notified of the review request. section 8.9

Use the file to bring API governance into source review where API linting and breaking-change checks cannot provide policy or design judgment. Keep ownership narrowly scoped: excessive external approvals can delay delivery and increase development friction. section 8.9

A practical GitHub setup follows these steps:

• Create CODEOWNERS in the repository root; if a template is named _CODEOWNERS, rename it and add the responsible colleague’s GitHub ID. section 8.5.6
• Commit the file, open a pull request, and merge it into the main branch. section 8.5.6
• Add the reviewer as a repository collaborator, then configure branch protection to require code-owner approval, pull requests, and passing build and API-review status checks. section 8.5.6
• Test the control by changing documentation in the owned directory and verifying that the pull request requires the code-owner review. section 8.5.6

API governance ownership

Assign the API governance team as code owners for API definition files, while leaving routine changes to the team maintaining the repository. A single reviewer can be replaced by a team where the hosting platform supports team ownership. section 8.9 section 8.5.6

Figure 8.7 Setting up GitHub branch protection rules

Use the branch-protection configuration view to verify that code-owner reviews and the selected build and API-review status checks are mandatory before merging. section 8.5.6

How Automating API Delivery covers it

How deep it goes

Explains ownership, repository placement, collaborator access, branch protection, and verification, but not platform-specific pattern syntax.

Examples

Demonstrates ownership for the chapter8/apis directory, API definition files, and documentation changes requiring governance approval.

What it assumes

Assumes a Git-based repository, pull-request workflow, repository settings access, and an identified API governance reviewer or team.

What you can do after

Operate repository governance by configuring ownership, collaborators, branch protection, required checks, and review verification.

How it connects

Connects API governance, pull requests, branch protection, CI status checks, API linting, and breaking-change checks.

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  "Looks Good to Me"A repository configuration file that associates changed file paths with the people or teams responsible for reviewing them.

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Related concepts

• code ownershipconfigures · Code ownership is the assignment of responsibility for reviewing, maintaining, or evolving specified source code or software components.
• reviewer assignmentconfigures · The process of selecting and assigning people or groups to review a proposed code change.
• reviewerconfigures · A reviewer is a person who examines an artifact, claim, or proposed change against relevant criteria and provides feedback or an assessment.
• repositorypart of · A software repository is an organized storage location or collection of project files and related artifacts, often managed with version history and change tracking.
• branch protectionconfigured by · Branch protection is a repository policy that restricts changes or operations on a branch unless specified conditions, such as checks or approvals, are met.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Automating API Delivery. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.