Configuring automatic code review by Copilot

Learn how to configure Copilot to automatically review pull requests in a repository.

In this article

About automatic code review

By default, Copilot will only review a pull request when it is assigned to the pull request in the same way you would assign a human reviewer. However, repository owners can configure Copilot to automatically review all pull requests in the repository. Organization owners can configure Copilot to automatically review all pull requests in some or all of the repositories in the organization.

Triggering an automatic pull request review

After you configure automatic code review, Copilot will review pull requests in the following situations:

  • When a pull request is created as an "Open" pull request.

    A review is not triggered if the pull request is created as a "Draft" pull request.

  • The first time a "Draft" pull request is switched to "Open".

Note

Copilot only automatically reviews a pull request once. If you make changes to the pull request after it has been automatically reviewed and you want Copilot to re-review the pull request, you must request this manually. To do this, click the button next to Copilot's name in the Reviewers menu.

Configuring automatic code review for a single repository

  1. On GitHub, navigate to the main page of the repository.

  2. Under your repository name, click Settings. If you cannot see the "Settings" tab, select the dropdown menu, then click Settings.

    Screenshot of a repository header showing the tabs. The "Settings" tab is highlighted by a dark orange outline.

  3. In the left sidebar, under "Code and automation," click Rules, then click Rulesets.

    Screenshot of the sidebar of the "Settings" page for a repository. The "Rules" sub-menu is expanded, and the "Rulesets" option is outlined in orange.

  4. Click New ruleset.

  5. Click New branch ruleset.

  6. Under "Ruleset name," type a name for the ruleset.

  7. Under "Target branches," click Add target and choose one of the options—for example, Include default branch or Include all branches.

  8. Under "Branch rules," select the Require a pull request before merging checkbox.

    This expands a set of subsidiary options.

  9. Select the Request pull request review from Copilot checkbox.

    Screenshot of the "Request pull request review from Copilot" branch ruleset option.

  10. At the bottom of the page, click Create.

Configuring automatic code review for repositories in an organization

  1. In the upper-right corner of GitHub, select your profile photo, then click Your organizations.

  2. Next to the organization, click Settings.

  3. In the left sidebar, in the "Code, planning, and automation" section, click Repository, then click Rulesets.

    Screenshot of an organization's settings page. In the sidebar, a link labeled "Rulesets" is outlined in orange.

  4. Click New ruleset.

  5. Click New branch ruleset.

  6. Under "Ruleset name," type a name for the ruleset.

  7. Under "Target repositories," click Add target and choose either Include by pattern or Exclude by pattern.

  8. In the dialog box that's displayed, type a pattern that will match the names of repositories in your organization—for example, *feature to match all repositories with names that end in feature.

    For information about pattern-matching syntax, see Creating rulesets for repositories in your organization.

  9. In the dialog box, click Add inclusion pattern or Add exclusion pattern.

  10. Repeat the process for any additional patterns you want to add.

    Note

    You can add multiple targeting criteria to the same ruleset. Exclusion patterns are applied after inclusion patterns. For example, you could include any repositories matching the pattern *cat*, and specifically exclude a repository matching the pattern not-a-cat.

  11. Under "Target branches," click Add target and choose one of the target options.

  12. Under "Branch rules," select the Require a pull request before merging checkbox.

    This expands a set of subsidiary options.

  13. Select the Request pull request review from Copilot checkbox.

  14. At the bottom of the page, click Create.