Default reviewers for pull requests

Github lets you assign default reviewers to repositories.

First let’s make a Github team. This should contain everyone you want to get notified when a Pull Request is created.

I’ve named mine dev-owners and added the users to the group.

Github Settings

Next give your group adequate permissions to the repository.

1. Click Settings -> Manage access
2. Invite teams
3. Add dev-owners group and set permissions to write or admin

Then create a rule

1. Click Settings -> Branches
2. Add Rule
3. Branch pattern: *
4. Tick: Require pull request reviews before merging
5. Tick: Require review from Code Owners

Repository

Finally create a file in the root of the repository named: CODEOWNERS

Add the rule followed by the team name. Note the rules are the same as .gitignore.

The following example adds dev-owners as reviewers to any file change.

* @ORG_NAME/dev-owners

Now every pull request created will automatically notify the users in dev-owners group and require at least 1 approval before merge.