Learn and Use the GitHub CODEOWNERS file

A CODEOWNERS file is a text file used to define code owners for specific files or directories in a GitHub repository.

It's a great way to ensure changes to the codebase are reviewed by the appropriate team members.

The people/teams listed in your CODEOWNERS auto-magically get added to pull request reviews.

Creating a CODEOWNERS file

In the root of your project, docs/ directory or the .github/ directory, create a new file called CODEOWNERS.

Syntax and structure

The syntax for the file is simple - a simple pattern-matching syntax to assign code owners for specific files or directories.

Example:

# This is a comment - Helpful for leaving notes.

# Default code owners
# Will require approval from @NiallJoeMaher or @anotheruser
* @NiallJoeMaher @anotheruser

# Specific code owners for a subdirectory
# Will require approval from @NiallJoeMaher
/subdir/ @NiallJoeMaher

# Specific code owners for a file type
# Will require approval from @anotheruser
*.js @anotheruser

# Example with a specific file
# Will require approval from the team @codu-code/maintainers
/docs/README.md @codu-code/maintainers

• The asterisk (*) represents a global pattern that matches all files and directories.
• The directory or file pattern is followed by one or more GitHub usernames or team names (prefixed with '@').

What next?

When you open a pull request, depending on the conditions set in your CODEOWNERS file, the appropriate people will be added as reviewers to your PR. 🎉

Best practices

• Maintain an up-to-date CODEOWNERS file: Regularly verify the list of code owners to ensure accuracy and make updates when team structures change.
• Implement a modular strategy: For repositories containing numerous subdirectories with distinct responsibilities, establish individual rules within the CODEOWNERS file to enhance the organization of code ownership.
• Promote teamwork: Don't leave it all to your CODEOWNERS - Cultivate a collaborative atmosphere by motivating team members to evaluate and offer feedback on their colleagues' code, regardless of whether they are officially designated as code owners.

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