Specifying include and exclude file/path patterns for pull request reviewers with Workzone makes sure that specialised teams only need to review ‘their’ code changes. This saves them time and reduces the pull request noise level.
Include and exclude path matches for reviewers and groups #
Workzone now offers to include and exclude file-paths in the reviewer configuration.
Let’s have a look at Team B first. They are responsible for every src module, except src/test.
The include path is defined as ‘src/**’ and the exclude path is ‘src/test/**’
With this configuration, a pull request changeset with changes in ‘src/test/**’ would not add Team B as reviewers.
Now we need to add a file path reviewer entry for Team A as they are responsible to review any changes to ‘src/test/**’
By adding a simple (inclusive) file path for Team A we make sure any changes to ‘src/test/**’ are reviewed by Team A and Team B is not involved.
Naturally, if the pull request changesets contain file changes in for example ‘src/main/**’ and changes in ‘src/test/js/**’ both Team A and Team B would be added as reviewers.
When the configuration is complete it can be viewed in the Workzone reviewers overview.
Mandatory reviewer approval bypass for pull request author #
When a mandatory reviewer authors a pull request that changes a file they are responsible for, they cannot approve their own work. For a rule with only a few eligible reviewers, that can leave the pull request blocked until someone else is available.
Workzone now offers an optional Author bypass setting for individual file/path reviewer rules. Enable it under Reviewers → Files/Paths. If the author is a listed mandatory reviewer, their rule’s mandatory-user approval requirement is treated as met. For per-group quotas, the bypass applies only to mandatory groups the author belongs to; other groups must still meet their quotas.
The setting is off by default and affects only the file/path rule where it is enabled. Other file/path rules and separately configured approval requirements still apply, so teams can resolve this reviewer deadlock without relaxing review requirements across the branch.
Enable mandatory reviewer author bypass