CODEOWNERS File Generator

Create a CODEOWNERS file row by row: a file-path pattern on the left, one or more owners on the right. The generator validates that each owner is a @username, @org/team, or email, warns about common mistakes, and emits the file in the order these systems expect — general rules first, specific rules last, since the last match wins. Works for GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket.

CODEOWNERS

How to use the CODEOWNERS File Generator

Each rule pairs a path pattern with the people or teams responsible for matching files. Put broad rules — such as a catch-all * — near the top and narrow rules below them; the file is read top to bottom and the last matching line decides ownership, so the most specific pattern must come last. List multiple owners separated by spaces, each one a @user, an @org/team, or an email address.

The generated file goes at .github/CODEOWNERS, CODEOWNERS in the repo root, or docs/CODEOWNERS on GitHub; GitLab and Bitbucket look in similar locations. Once committed, owners are requested for review automatically when a pull or merge request touches files they own. Warnings below the output flag owners missing an @ and patterns that look malformed.

How CODEOWNERS works

A CODEOWNERS file declares who owns which parts of a repository. Each non-comment line is a path pattern followed by one or more owners. When someone opens a pull or merge request, the platform finds the files it changes, matches them against the patterns, and automatically requests review from the owners — and, if branch protection requires owner approval, blocks the merge until they sign off.

The pattern syntax follows gitignore rules: * matches anything, / anchors to the repository root, a trailing / matches a directory, and ** spans directories. Owners are GitHub or GitLab usernames and teams prefixed with @ (for example @octocat or @acme/backend), or plain email addresses for users whose commit email the platform recognises. A line with a pattern and no owners explicitly removes ownership inherited from a broader rule above it.

The single rule that trips people up is precedence: the last matching pattern wins, not the most specific one. So a general line like * @acme/maintainers belongs at the top, and a targeted line like /infra/ @acme/platform belongs below it, so that changes under infra/ route to the platform team rather than the catch-all. Ordering the file from broad to narrow is what makes ownership behave the way you expect.

Common use cases

  • Automatic review routing. Request the right team's review the moment a PR touches their code.
  • Enforcing sign-off. Pair with branch protection so owners must approve changes to critical paths.
  • Onboarding a monorepo. Map each top-level directory to the team that maintains it.
  • Documenting ownership. Give a clear, version-controlled record of who is responsible for what.

Frequently asked questions

Which line wins when several patterns match?
The last matching line in the file, reading top to bottom — not the most specific pattern. That is why a catch-all belongs near the top and targeted directory rules belong below it. This generator keeps the rules in the order you enter them so you control precedence.

Where do I put the file?
On GitHub it can live in the repository root, in .github/, or in docs/ — whichever it finds first applies. GitLab reads CODEOWNERS from the root, .gitlab/, or docs/. Commit it to the default branch (and any protected branches) for it to take effect.

What is a valid owner?
A GitHub or GitLab user or team prefixed with @, such as @alice or @acme/backend, or an email address that matches a user account. Plain names without @ are not valid owners, and the generator warns when it sees one.

Can a path have no owner?
Yes. A pattern with no owners after it removes the ownership a broader rule above would otherwise assign, which is useful for carving an exception out of a catch-all rule.

Does it work for GitLab and Bitbucket too?
Yes. All three use the same pattern-then-owners format. Minor differences exist — GitLab supports optional section headers in [brackets] — but the core file this tool generates is valid on each platform.
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