Block a git branch from being pushed

user_363078 0
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Here's the situation:

I have a public repository for my open-source app on github.com. However, now I'd like to write some specific code that will not be public (I might use it in a commercial version of my application).

I figured I could use the same repository, and I'd create a "private" branch in my git repository that I wouldn't push.

But, mistakes happen. Is there some way to forbid git from ever pushing a branch to remote servers?

If there's a better way to handle this situation, I would of course welcome any suggestions.

private branch git
7 Answers

If you use GitHub, you can create a branch on GitHub with the same name as your branch. There is no need to push any commits to it, just make an empty branch off master or whatever (you can do it in the GitHub interface by typing the branch in the "branch" popdown and clicking create branch <branch-name>).

Then, go to the branch settings for the repository (e.g., https://github.com/<user>/<repo>/settings/branches/<branch-name>) and enable branch protection for your branch. Be sure to check all the boxes, particularly, the require reviews or status checks boxes, which disallows the branch from being pushed to directly (it would have to be pushed from a pull request), and also be sure to check the box to include administrators.

Then GitHub will not allow you to push to the branch, even if you use -f. You'll get a message like

$ git push -f origin private
Enumerating objects: 5, done.
Counting objects: 100% (5/5), done.
Delta compression using up to 8 threads.
Compressing objects: 100% (3/3), done.
Writing objects: 100% (3/3), 981 bytes | 981.00 KiB/s, done.
Total 3 (delta 2), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: Resolving deltas: 100% (2/2), completed with 2 local objects.
remote: error: GH006: Protected branch update failed for refs/heads/private.
remote: error: At least 1 approving review is required by reviewers with write access.
To github.com:<user>/<repo>.git
 ! [remote rejected] private -> private (protected branch hook declined)
error: failed to push some refs to 'git@github.com:<user>/<repo>.git'
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