Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about MergeGuard
What is a GitHub pull request policy engine?
A GitHub pull request policy engine evaluates a pull request against configurable rules and decides what approvals and checks are required based on context (for example: files changed, labels, author, or repository metadata), instead of relying only on static branch protection settings.
Is MergeGuard a GitHub App?
Yes. MergeGuard integrates with GitHub via a GitHub App to evaluate pull requests and report merge readiness based on your configured policies.
Does MergeGuard replace CODEOWNERS?
No. MergeGuard can work alongside CODEOWNERS by using ownership signals as an input to policies, while adding conditional logic that GitHub’s native rules do not provide.
Can MergeGuard reduce CI costs?
It can help reduce CI costs by enabling conditional enforcement—so teams can require expensive checks only when relevant (for example, when certain paths or components change), rather than running every required check on every pull request.
How does MergeGuard work with GitHub branch protection and required checks?
MergeGuard evaluates pull requests against your policies and communicates the result back to GitHub (for example via a status check or check run) so branch protection can gate merges based on the policy outcome.
Does MergeGuard require a separate approval UI outside GitHub?
No. MergeGuard is designed to keep reviews and approvals in GitHub while adding a policy-driven decision layer for what is required for a pull request to be considered merge-ready.
Still have questions?
Check out our documentation or reach out to our team for more information.
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