GitHub Repository Settings Guide

GitHub provides a variety of settings that allow repository owners and collaborators to manage access, security, workflows, and integrations efficiently. This guide explains the different settings available and what they do.

1. General Settings

Repository Name

Allows you to rename your repository. Changing the name will update the repository’s URL, but GitHub automatically redirects from the old URL.

Description & Website

You can set a brief description and a link to an external website related to your project.

Topics

Tags that help categorize your repository so others can find it more easily.

Default Branch

Defines which branch is the main development branch. Typically, it is main or master.

Template Repository

Allows the repository to be used as a template for creating new repositories with the same structure and files.

Repository Visibility

• Public: Anyone can view the repository.
• Private: Only authorized users can access the repository.
• Internal (for GitHub Enterprise): Accessible within the enterprise account.

2. Access Management

Collaborators & Teams

Manage individual collaborators or assign teams (if part of an organization) with different permission levels:

• Read: Can view and clone the repository.
• Triage: Can categorize issues and pull requests.
• Write: Can push changes to the repository.
• Maintain: Can manage repository settings and security.
• Admin: Full control over the repository.

Forking

Enables or disables users' ability to fork the repository.

Branch Protection Rules

Allows setting restrictions on branches, including:

• Requiring pull request reviews before merging.
• Restricting who can push to the branch.
• Enforcing status checks.

3. Security & Analysis

Dependabot Alerts

Notifies about security vulnerabilities in dependencies and provides automated fixes.

Secret Scanning

Detects exposed secrets (such as API keys) in the repository’s code.

Code Scanning

Finds potential security vulnerabilities in the codebase using GitHub’s built-in security tools.

Actions & Workflows Permissions

Controls whether GitHub Actions can run on the repository and what workflows can be executed.

4. Integration & API

Webhooks

Allows GitHub to send HTTP requests to an external service when events occur in the repository.

GitHub Apps & OAuth

Manages third-party integrations and custom GitHub applications with API access to your repository.

5. Advanced Settings

Archive Repository

Marks the repository as archived, making it read-only.

Delete Repository

Permanently removes the repository and all its contents (requires confirmation).

Transfer Ownership

Allows transferring the repository to another user or organization.