GitHub CODEOWNERS, Issue Templates, Issue Forms and Pull Request Templates

Good repositories guide contributors automatically. In this lesson you will set up CODEOWNERS so the right people review every change, create issue templates and forms that produce complete bug reports, and add a pull request template.

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🧭 Why These Files?

As a repository grows, three questions come up again and again: Who should review this change? What information does a bug report need? What should every pull request description include? GitHub answers them with special files in the repository, usually in the .github/ folder:

File	Purpose
.github/CODEOWNERS	Automatically requests reviews from the owners of changed files
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/*.md or *.yml	Templates and forms for new issues
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml	Controls the “New issue” chooser
.github/pull_request_template.md	Pre-fills every new pull request description

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👥 CODEOWNERS

A CODEOWNERS file maps file patterns to people or teams. When a pull request changes matching files, GitHub automatically requests their review. Place it in .github/, the repository root or docs/.

# .github/CODEOWNERS
# Each line: <pattern> <owners...>. The LAST matching pattern wins.

# Default owners for everything
*                           @acme/qa-leads

# Test automation framework
/tests/                     @acme/qa-automation
/src/pages/                 @acme/qa-automation @asha-verma-qa

# CI and workflow changes need DevOps review
/.github/workflows/         @acme/devops

# Test data owned by one person
/test-data/*.json           @ravi-kumar

# Documentation
*.md                        @acme/docs

Rule	Detail
Owners	@username, @org/team-name or an email address; they need write access
Patterns	Mostly like .gitignore patterns
Precedence	The last matching line in the file wins, so put general rules first
Enforcement	Turn on Require review from Code Owners in branch protection or rulesets to make owner approval mandatory

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🐞 Issue Templates

Markdown templates

---
name: Bug report
about: Report a defect found in testing
title: "[Bug]: "
labels: bug, needs-triage
assignees: ''
---

### Steps to reproduce
1.
2.

### Expected result

### Actual result

### Environment
- Browser / device:
- Build / commit:

### Evidence
Screenshots, logs or Playwright traces.

Save as .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md. The block between --- lines (front matter) sets the name, default title, labels and assignees.

Issue forms (YAML)

Issue forms create a real form with required fields and dropdowns, which leads to more complete bug reports:

# .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml
name: Bug report
description: Report a defect found in testing
title: "[Bug]: "
labels: ["bug", "needs-triage"]
body:
  - type: textarea
    id: steps
    attributes:
      label: Steps to reproduce
      placeholder: "1. Log in as standard_user\n2. Add the backpack to the cart"
    validations:
      required: true
  - type: textarea
    id: expected-actual
    attributes:
      label: Expected vs actual result
    validations:
      required: true
  - type: dropdown
    id: environment
    attributes:
      label: Environment
      options:
        - QA
        - Staging
        - Production
    validations:
      required: true
  - type: dropdown
    id: severity
    attributes:
      label: Severity
      options: [Critical, Major, Minor, Trivial]

The template chooser

# .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml
blank_issues_enabled: false
contact_links:
  - name: Questions and discussion
    url: https://github.com/acme/qa-platform/discussions
    about: Ask questions here instead of opening an issue.

Issues are explained in GitHub Issues, Labels and Projects.

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🔃 Pull Request Template

<!-- .github/pull_request_template.md -->
## What does this PR change?

## Why is it needed?
Closes #

## How was it tested?
- [ ] Unit tests
- [ ] Playwright tests pass locally (npx playwright test)
- [ ] Tested manually on: 

## Screenshots (UI changes)

## Checklist
- [ ] No secrets or debug code
- [ ] Docs updated if needed

Every new pull request starts with this text, which nudges authors to give reviewers what they need (pull requests). For several templates, create a .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/ folder; they are chosen with a ?template=name.md query parameter in the PR URL.

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🏢 Organisation-Wide Defaults

Create a public repository named .github in your organisation (or account). Templates and community files there (issue templates, pull request template, CONTRIBUTING.md, SECURITY.md) act as defaults for repositories that do not have their own.

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📝 Assignment

1. Add .github/CODEOWNERS to git-practice that makes you the owner of everything and a teammate (or second account) the owner of tests/.
2. Open a PR that changes a file in tests/ and confirm the review request is automatic.
3. Add a Markdown bug report template and a YAML issue form; open an issue with each.
4. Disable blank issues and add a contact link.
5. Add a pull request template and open a new PR to see it pre-filled.
6. Bonus: enable “Require review from Code Owners” in your ruleset.

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❓ FAQ

🤔 What is a CODEOWNERS file?

A file in .github/, the root or docs/ that maps file patterns to users or teams who are automatically requested to review pull requests touching those files.

🤔 Where do I put the CODEOWNERS file?

In .github/CODEOWNERS, CODEOWNERS in the repository root, or docs/CODEOWNERS. GitHub uses the first one it finds in that order.

🤔 How do I create an issue template on GitHub?

Add Markdown or YAML files to .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/, or use Settings, Features, Issues, Set up templates.

🤔 How do I add a pull request template?

Create .github/pull_request_template.md; its content pre-fills every new pull request.

🤔 What is the difference between issue templates and issue forms?

Markdown templates pre-fill the text box. Issue forms (YAML) show structured fields such as dropdowns and required text areas.

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🎯 Next Steps

• 🔐 Secrets, Dependabot and Code Scanning
• 🛡️ Branch Protection Rules and Rulesets
• 📘 Git and GitHub Tutorial: full course