Add default reviewers to pull requests
Default reviewers allow you to automatically add one or more users as reviewers to pull requests in Bitbucket Data Center. In addition, you can optionally specify how many of the specified default reviewers must approve a pull request prior to merging to ensure that a minimum level of review occurs.
On this page:
You may have different roles in your team that should be automatically added to pull requests depending on the nature of the pull request. This can be achieved by assigning default reviewers for a specific repository, a specific branch, using a branch pattern, or with a branch type from the branching model. For example, you might specify a release manager be assigned to all pull requests targeting release branches in Bitbucket.
Once assigned in the repository settings, default reviewers will be pre-filled during pull request creation. At that time the set of reviewers can then be adjusted for each pull request.
Adding default pull request reviewers for all repositories in a project
To add default reviewers for pull requests (requires project admin permissions):
- Go to Project settings > Default reviewers.
- Click Add default reviewers.
- For the Source branch and Target branch fields, select either Branch name, Branch pattern, Branching model, or Any branch.
- Branch name - enter the name of an existing branch.
- Branch pattern - use a branch permission pattern to match multiple branches.
- Branching model - select the branch type to restrict access to. Read more about branching models.
- Any branch - add default reviewers for pull request coming from every branch (for Source branch) to any branch (for Target branch).
- Enter the name(s) of who should be assigned as a reviewer in the Default reviewers field.
- Optional: In the Approvals required field, select how many reviewers must approve pull requests that match this criteria before merging.
- Click Create.
Adding default pull request reviewers for a single repository
To add default pull request reviewers for a single repository (requires repo admin permissions):
- Go to Repository settings > Default reviewers.
- Click Add default reviewers.
- For the Source branch and Target branch fields, select either Branch name, Branch pattern, Branching model, or Any branch.
- Branch name - select an existing branch by name.
- Branch pattern - use a branch permission pattern to match multiple branches.
- Branching model - select the branch type to restrict access to. Read more about branching models.
- Any branch - add default reviewers for pull request coming from every branch (for Source branch) to any branch (for Target branch).
- Enter the name(s) of who should be assigned as a reviewer in the Default reviewers field.
- Optional: In the Approvals required field, select how many reviewers must approve pull requests that match this criteria before merging.
- Click Create.
Default reviewers quick add for pull request review
If default reviewers are set for the destination branch of your draft or regular pull request, they’ll be automatically added to it as reviewers. If you want feedback only from some of the added default reviewers, keep them and remove the others from the Reviewers field.
If you remove at least one default reviewer, the Default reviewers quick add button will appear under the field, showing you how many reviewers you can still add from this group.
Add groups of default reviewers for pull requests
You can set up existing reviewer groups as default reviewers for pull requests so that you don’t need to select individual default reviewers manually.
When configuring default reviewers for a particular source and target branch, start typing the name of a desired reviewer group in the Default reviewers field. When you create a pull request for these branches, the reviewers from the selected groups will be automatically added as default reviewers to it.