Implemented in ci-toolkit

GitHub rulesets for trusted CI checks

A check name is only useful as a merge requirement if the repository trusts who produced it. ci-toolkit reconciles a dedicated GitHub ruleset for the default branch and pins its Check Runs to the App integration. Enforcement is maintained alongside the workflow, rather than left as a one-time manual checkbox.

Supported in the private ci-toolkit GitHub App. Runnerless itself is in early development; signing up does not enable this feature.

How it works

01 /

Require evidence from the expected App

The managed ruleset requires the Codex review gate and pins the check to the integration. Optional title and commit-message policies add their own App checks when configured. Publishing a similarly named commit status does not establish the same App-owned evidence.

02 /

Keep the base current

Strict base freshness prevents an older head from merging against a newer policy epoch. The ruleset requires pull requests, adds no extra approval count and allows initial branch creation. It has no bypass actors, including administrators or the automation App itself.

03 /

Reconcile as the repository changes

Default-branch pushes reconcile the managed ruleset and queue open PRs. Periodic reconciliation repairs drift and refreshes repository state. Configuration preview checks remain informational rather than silently becoming a mandatory rule.

A concrete example

Workflow example

Default branch ruleset
  Required: codex/review-gate from the toolkit App
  Optional: configured title and commit-message checks
  Required: strict base freshness
  Bypass actors: none

Know the boundary

Current limits

GitHub plan capabilities constrain metadata rules. When commit-message metadata enforcement is unavailable, the toolkit records that state and explains the remaining Check Run enforcement. Ruleset reconciliation needs the App’s accepted repository permissions and does not make unrelated rules disappear.

Common questions

Can the merge command bypass its own ruleset?

No. Its installation token is subject to the ruleset, which declares no bypass actor.

Is the configuration preview check required automatically?

No. ci-toolkit/config is informational and is not added to this managed ruleset.

Runnerless / early access

Want this in
your workflow?

Get early access ↗

Register interest and tell us what slows your CI down. The optional follow-up questions come after your email is saved.