CI & Code Ownership
Which checks run on your PR, who needs to review it, and why it might be held up.
When you open a PR, automated checks run and — depending on what you changed — a developer may need to approve before merge. This page explains what's required so you know what to expect.
What Runs On Every PR
| Check | Workflow file | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| PR checks | .github/workflows/pr-checks.yml | Lint, TypeScript typecheck, build affected apps, run tests if test script exists. |
| Preview deploy | .github/workflows/pr-preview-neon.yml + deploy-reusable.yml | Creates a Neon DB branch, generates migrations if schema changed, deploys affected apps to Railway staging, posts preview URL as a PR comment. |
Both must be green before merge. Workflows run automatically on push.
If a TypeScript error breaks the build, the check turns red — that's why you should always run pnpm build:<your-app> locally before committing.
When Developer Review Is Required
Most PRs — anything touching only apps/* — can be merged as soon as checks pass. But some paths are CODEOWNERS-protected and need a developer to approve:
| If your PR touches… | Who reviews |
|---|---|
apps/** only | Auto-mergeable after green checks |
shared/database/**, shared/types/**, shared/schema.md | Developer review required |
shared/auth/**, shared/api/** | Developers only (you generally can't edit these) |
.github/workflows/deploy-reusable.yml, pr-checks.yml | Developers only |
Root package.json, CLAUDE.md, README.md | Developers only |
.github/workflows/deploy-app-*.yml | Vibe coders can edit; no extra review |
The source of truth is .github/CODEOWNERS.
What to Expect
- Edit only app code → checks run, preview URL posted, you review preview, merge yourself once green.
- Add a shared table or change
schema.md→ same plus a developer approval is required. - Touch CI/root config → developer approval required; may take longer.
On Merge
- Production deploys automatically for the affected app(s).
- Schema migrations apply to the Neon main database.
- The PR's Neon preview branch is deleted.
Ask Claude
Quiz
You edit only files under apps/meal-planner/. Your PR checks pass. Can you merge it yourself?