---
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
---

# Protected branches API **(FREE)**

**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`                          | integer        | no  | Access levels allowed to push (defaults: `40`, Maintainer role) |
| `merge_access_level`                         | integer        | no  | Access levels allowed to merge (defaults: `40`, Maintainer role) |
| `unprotect_access_level`                     | integer        | 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` **(PREMIUM)**              | array          | no  | Array of access levels allowed to push, with each described by a hash of the form `{user_id: integer}`, `{group_id: integer}`, or `{access_level: integer}` |
| `allowed_to_merge` **(PREMIUM)**             | array          | no  | Array of access levels allowed to merge, with each described by a hash of the form `{user_id: integer}`, `{group_id: integer}`, or `{access_level: integer}` |
| `allowed_to_unprotect` **(PREMIUM)**         | array          | no  | Array of access levels allowed to unprotect, with each described by a hash of the form `{user_id: integer}`, `{group_id: integer}`, or `{access_level: integer}` |
| `code_owner_approval_required` **(PREMIUM)** | boolean        | no  | 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 '{
      "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 **(PREMIUM)**

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?code_owner_approval_required=true"
```

| 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  | Prevent pushes to this branch if it matches an item in the [`CODEOWNERS` file](../user/project/code_owners.md). (defaults: false)|
