Overview
Auto-merge works alongside Auto-Approve. When Gitar approves a PR, it also enables your platform’s native auto-merge so the PR merges as soon as all other conditions are met, such as passing CI and required approvals.Hands-Free Merging
Approved PRs merge automatically once all checks pass
Platform-Native
Uses your platform’s built-in auto-merge, not a custom queue
Safe by Default
Auto-merge is disabled if Gitar later revokes its approval
How It Works
Gitar approves the PR
Auto-approve runs after a clean code review. If the PR meets your configured criteria, Gitar submits an approving review.
Auto-merge is enabled
Immediately after approving, Gitar enables auto-merge on the PR using your platform’s native feature.
Prerequisites
Before enabling auto-merge in Gitar, make sure your platform is configured to allow it.GitHub
GitHub
Enable Allow auto-merge in your repository settings under General. Without this, Gitar will approve the PR but auto-merge will not be armed.
GitLab
GitLab
No additional configuration is needed. GitLab uses the project’s default merge settings.Note: pushing new commits to a GitLab MR cancels the armed auto-merge. If Gitar’s next review also approves the MR, auto-merge will be re-enabled automatically.
Enabling Auto-Merge
Auto-merge is configured alongside auto-approve in your organization settings:- Navigate to Settings in the Gitar dashboard
- Open the Code Review section
- Make sure Auto-approve is enabled first
- Enable the Auto-merge PRs/MRs after auto-approve toggle
- On GitHub, select your preferred merge method: Merge commit, Squash, or Rebase
What Happens If It Fails
If Gitar cannot enable auto-merge, it will post a message in the dashboard comment explaining why. The PR remains approved. Common reasons include:| Reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| Auto-merge is not allowed for this repository | Enable “Allow auto-merge” in your GitHub repo settings |
| Gitar lacks merge permission | Grant Gitar the necessary permissions in your repository |
| The PR is a draft or has unresolved threads | Mark the PR as ready and resolve open threads |
When Approval is Revoked
If a new push introduces blocking findings, Gitar revokes its approval and disables auto-merge. This prevents the PR from merging while outstanding issues remain.Auto-merge requires Auto-Approve to be enabled. Gitar only arms auto-merge on PRs it has approved.