GitHub App and permissions
HeyDeer works through a GitHub App installed on your personal account or organization. You choose which repositories HeyDeer can read and review.
Install HeyDeer
Each workspace belongs to one GitHub account: a personal account or an organization.
- Select Install on GitHub. During your first setup, it’s under Choose where your repositories live. To connect another account later, select Add workspace in the workspace menu first.
- On GitHub, choose the account, then the repositories HeyDeer can review.
- Confirm on GitHub. HeyDeer then opens the account’s workspace.
In an organization, only an owner can install the GitHub App; otherwise GitHub sends the owners a request. While it’s pending, HeyDeer shows Waiting for GitHub owner approval, and workspace admins can already configure settings.
Once an owner approves, the workspace connects on its own, and HeyDeer emails the workspace notification address.
Add repositories
On GitHub, choose Only select repositories and pick the ones to review. All repositories also includes repositories created later.
To add repositories later, select Add repositories on the Repositories page, or Manage GitHub access in Workspace settings → GitHub connection. Only an owner of the GitHub account can save changes on GitHub. Anyone else sees Ask your team, with a request they can copy and send to an owner.
Added repositories follow the workspace defaults in Review rules, and a new workspace starts with Manual only. A person sees a repository and its reviews in HeyDeer when both they and HeyDeer can access it on GitHub. Requesting a review needs write access; see PR comment commands.
Permissions
| Permission | Access | What HeyDeer uses it for |
|---|---|---|
| Contents | Read and write | Read code and history, resolve HeyDeer’s own review conversations, and push branches and commits for fixes and @heydeer requests. |
| Pull requests | Read and write | Read pull requests, publish reviews, comments and replies, and open, update and merge pull requests you ask for. |
| Workflows | Read and write | Update GitHub Actions workflow files when a fix or request changes them. |
| Checks | Read and write | Show the HeyDeer Review check and receive its button requests. |
| Actions | Read | Read the logs of failed GitHub Actions jobs so Autopilot can fix them. |
| Issues | Read and write | Receive @heydeer mentions and commands, acknowledge them with reactions, read related issues, and open and update issues you ask for. |
| Metadata | Read | Read basic repository information and who has write access. |
| Members (organization) | Read | List workspace members, and check member and team conditions in automatic review filters and Manual review access. |
| Email addresses (account) | Read | Suggest your verified email as the notification address. |
If GitHub hasn’t granted a permission HeyDeer needs, Workspace settings → GitHub connection shows GitHub permission required or Additional GitHub permissions available. An owner of the GitHub account selects Review permission request and accepts it on GitHub.
For how HeyDeer handles your code and data, see Security & data handling.
When an account or repository is missing
If an organization isn’t listed when you connect, sign in to it through SSO on GitHub if it uses SSO. Then open Don’t see your account? and select Sign in to GitHub again.
If an organization had no workspace when an owner approved your request, HeyDeer creates it with you as an admin.
If HeyDeer shows Restore your repository access, your GitHub account can’t reach the repositories HeyDeer was given. Select Refresh GitHub access. See Troubleshooting for other cases.
When HeyDeer’s GitHub access is paused or removed
If HeyDeer is suspended on GitHub, Workspace settings → GitHub connection shows GitHub access is paused, and reviews can’t run. An owner of the GitHub account selects Resume GitHub access.
If HeyDeer is uninstalled, it shows HeyDeer was removed from GitHub. An owner selects Reinstall HeyDeer; the workspace keeps its settings and review history.