Draft Pull Requests and Branch Deletion Control

8 posts · Jan 2019 – Apr 2025

What this trail covers

Bitbucket Cloud enhances its pull request workflow with draft pull requests (non-mergeable, silent notifications until ready) and configurable default branch deletion upon merge. This post introduces the ability for repository admins to set a default description for all new pull requests, providing a template with predefined text to guide authors on including essential information like screenshots, links, and business context, thereby improving reviewer understanding and speeding up the review process. Future enhancements include code suggestions for reviewers to commit directly on a PR.

All Atlassian trails

Apr 2025Say hello to draft pull requests! And one more thing we think you’ll love.Introduces 'draft pull requests' which cannot be merged, are clearly labeled, and silence reviewer notifications until marked as ready. Also adds a new repository setting under 'Branching model' to control the default behavior of deleting the source branch after a pull request is merged. This setting can be toggled at the project level and individually at merge time.
May 2023Maintain code quality at scale with project-level branch restrictionsThis post introduces project-level branch restrictions in Bitbucket Cloud, allowing administrators to apply a standard set of rules and checks (including merge settings like approval requirements, build status, and resolved tasks) to all repositories within a project. This contrasts with the previous per-repository configuration, offering streamlined administration, improved collaboration, enhanced security, easier onboarding, and simplified auditing. The post details the steps to configure these project-level restrictions, noting that repository-level settings can override project-level ones.
Aug 2022Preserving pull request approvalsIntroduces a new premium merge condition for repositories that previously reset approvals when the source branch was modified. The new option, 'Keep approvals if there are no changes to the diff in the pull request', preserves approvals when updates to the source branch do not alter the pull request's diff, such as amending commit messages or syncing the branch. This feature is available for workspaces on the premium plan.
Jul 2022Default Pull Request TasksThis post introduces the capability to configure default tasks that are automatically added to every new pull request in a given repository. These default tasks can be added, modified, or removed at any time from the repository settings and will apply to all subsequent pull requests. This complements existing functionality for adding tasks manually and configuring merge checks.
Mar 2022Introducing Bitbucket's redesigned Branch pageThis post details the redesign of the Bitbucket Cloud Branch page to better align with the pull request experience. Key improvements include centralizing diffs and commits, making diff file headers sticky, adding collapsible diffs per file, and enabling inline side-by-side diff views. The sidebar now includes build status and relevant pull requests, along with an improved file tree. Cross-fork comparison is also now supported on the branch page.
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Apr 2021Editing Pull Requests just got a little easierThis post introduces the ability to edit pull request titles and descriptions directly on the pull request view without navigating to a separate update page. It also highlights the collapsible description feature. This is a user experience improvement for pull request authors, reducing friction in updating PR details during the review process.
Sep 2020Add file attachments to pull requests in Bitbucket CloudIntroduced the ability to attach any file type to pull requests in Bitbucket Cloud, extending the existing pull request functionality. This includes direct viewing of attachments within the PR and integration with the Atlassian Media Picker for cross-product and external service sharing. A public API for posting attachments from build tools and richer attachment metadata are planned for future development.
Jan 2019Save time with default pull request descriptionsIntroduces a new repository setting for 'Default description' that allows repository admins to pre-populate the description field of new pull requests with predefined text. This aims to guide pull request authors in providing necessary context for reviewers, improving the efficiency and thoroughness of code reviews.