# `branches`

Scopes can be filtered by the target (base) and source (head) branches of a pull request. This lets you define branch-specific review rules within a single configuration file. Note that `paths` are still required.

The syntax is the same as the top-level [`branches`](../branches.md) setting — simple patterns match the base branch, and range patterns (`..` or `...`) match both base and head.

```toml
# CODEREVIEW.toml
[[scopes]]
name = "main-review"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["main"]
reviewers = ["senior-dev1", "senior-dev2"]
require = 2

[[scopes]]
name = "develop-review"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["develop"]
reviewers = ["dev1", "dev2"]
require = 1
```

## Range patterns

Use `..` or `...` to match both base and head branches, following git convention (`base..head`). Omitting one side matches any branch for that position — for example, `develop..` means "base must be `develop`, any head branch".

```toml
[[scopes]]
name = "release-to-main"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["main..release/*"]
reviewers = ["release-manager"]
require = 1

[[scopes]]
name = "targeting-develop"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["develop.."]  # any branch merging into develop
reviewers = ["dev1", "dev2"]
require = 1
```

## Combining with config-level branches

Scope-level `branches` work independently from the top-level `branches` setting. The top-level setting gates whether PullApprove runs at all, while scope-level `branches` controls which scopes are active for a given PR.

```toml
# Only run on PRs targeting main or develop
branches = ["main", "develop"]

[[scopes]]
name = "strict-main-review"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["main"]
reviewers = ["senior-dev1", "senior-dev2"]
require = 2

[[scopes]]
name = "standard-review"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["develop"]
reviewers = ["dev1", "dev2"]
require = 1
```

## Using with aliases

Branches can reference [`aliases`](../aliases.md):

```toml
[aliases]
protected-branches = ["main", "develop"]

[[scopes]]
name = "protected-review"
paths = ["**/*"]
branches = ["$protected-branches"]
reviewers = ["senior-dev1", "senior-dev2"]
require = 2
```