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Merge request approvals API (PREMIUM ALL)

  • Changing approval configuration with the /approvals endpoint was deprecated in GitLab 12.3.
  • Endpoint /approvals removed in GitLab 16.0.

Configuration for approvals on all merge requests in the project. Must be authenticated for all endpoints.

Project-level MR approvals

Get Configuration

  • Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.
  • The approvers and approver_groups fields were deprecated in GitLab 12.3 and always return empty. Use the project level approval rules to access this information.

You can request information about a project's approval configuration using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/approvals

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project. 
{
  "approvers": [], // Deprecated in GitLab 12.3, always returns empty
  "approver_groups": [], // Deprecated in GitLab 12.3, always returns empty
  "approvals_before_merge": 2, // Deprecated in GitLab 12.3, use Approval Rules instead
  "reset_approvals_on_push": true,
  "selective_code_owner_removals": false,
  "disable_overriding_approvers_per_merge_request": false,
  "merge_requests_author_approval": true,
  "merge_requests_disable_committers_approval": false,
  "require_password_to_approve": true
}

Change configuration

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

If you are allowed to, you can change approval configuration using the following endpoint:

POST /projects/:id/approvals

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approvals_before_merge (deprecated) integer No How many approvals are required before a merge request can be merged. Deprecated in GitLab 12.3. Use Approval Rules instead.
disable_overriding_approvers_per_merge_request boolean No Allow or prevent overriding approvers per merge request.
merge_requests_author_approval boolean No Allow or prevent authors from self approving merge requests; true means authors can self approve.
merge_requests_disable_committers_approval boolean No Allow or prevent committers from self approving merge requests.
require_password_to_approve boolean No Require approver to enter a password to authenticate before adding the approval.
reset_approvals_on_push boolean No Reset approvals on a new push.
selective_code_owner_removals boolean No Reset approvals from Code Owners if their files changed. Can be enabled only if reset_approvals_on_push is disabled. 
{
  "approvals_before_merge": 2, // Deprecated in GitLab 12.3, use Approval Rules instead
  "reset_approvals_on_push": true,
  "selective_code_owner_removals": false,
  "disable_overriding_approvers_per_merge_request": false,
  "merge_requests_author_approval": false,
  "merge_requests_disable_committers_approval": false,
  "require_password_to_approve": true
}

Get project-level rules

  • Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.
  • Pagination support introduced in GitLab 15.3 with a flag named approval_rules_pagination. Enabled by default.
  • applies_to_all_protected_branches property was introduced in GitLab 15.3.
  • Pagination support generally available in GitLab 15.7. Feature flag approval_rules_pagination removed.
  • usernames property was introduced in GitLab 15.8.

You can request information about a project's approval rules using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/approval_rules

Use the page and per_page pagination parameters to restrict the list of approval rules.

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project. 
[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "security",
    "rule_type": "regular",
    "eligible_approvers": [
      {
        "id": 5,
        "name": "John Doe",
        "username": "jdoe",
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
      },
      {
        "id": 50,
        "name": "Group Member 1",
        "username": "group_member_1",
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
      }
    ],
    "approvals_required": 3,
    "users": [
      {
        "id": 5,
        "name": "John Doe",
        "username": "jdoe",
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
      }
    ],
    "groups": [
      {
        "id": 5,
        "name": "group1",
        "path": "group1",
        "description": "",
        "visibility": "public",
        "lfs_enabled": false,
        "avatar_url": null,
        "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
        "request_access_enabled": false,
        "full_name": "group1",
        "full_path": "group1",
        "parent_id": null,
        "ldap_cn": null,
        "ldap_access": null
      }
    ],
    "applies_to_all_protected_branches": false,
    "protected_branches": [
      {
        "id": 1,
        "name": "main",
        "push_access_levels": [
          {
            "access_level": 30,
            "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
          }
        ],
        "merge_access_levels": [
          {
            "access_level": 30,
            "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
          }
        ],
        "unprotect_access_levels": [
          {
            "access_level": 40,
            "access_level_description": "Maintainers"
          }
        ],
        "code_owner_approval_required": "false"
      }
    ],
    "contains_hidden_groups": false
  }
]

Get a single project-level rule

  • Introduced in GitLab 13.7.
  • applies_to_all_protected_branches property was introduced in GitLab 15.3.
  • usernames property was introduced in GitLab 15.8.

You can request information about a single project approval rules using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/approval_rules/:approval_rule_id

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approval_rule_id integer Yes The ID of a approval rule. 
{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "security",
  "rule_type": "regular",
  "eligible_approvers": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    },
    {
      "id": 50,
      "name": "Group Member 1",
      "username": "group_member_1",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
    }
  ],
  "approvals_required": 3,
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    }
  ],
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "group1",
      "path": "group1",
      "description": "",
      "visibility": "public",
      "lfs_enabled": false,
      "avatar_url": null,
      "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
      "request_access_enabled": false,
      "full_name": "group1",
      "full_path": "group1",
      "parent_id": null,
      "ldap_cn": null,
      "ldap_access": null
    }
  ],
  "applies_to_all_protected_branches": false,
  "protected_branches": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "main",
      "push_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 30,
          "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "merge_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 30,
          "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "unprotect_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 40,
          "access_level_description": "Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "code_owner_approval_required": "false"
    }
  ],
  "contains_hidden_groups": false
}

Create project-level rule

  • Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.
  • Removed the Vulnerability-Check feature in GitLab 15.0.
  • applies_to_all_protected_branches property was introduced in GitLab 15.3.
  • usernames property was introduced in GitLab 15.8.

You can create project approval rules using the following endpoint:

POST /projects/:id/approval_rules

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approvals_required integer Yes The number of required approvals for this rule.
name string Yes The name of the approval rule.
applies_to_all_protected_branches boolean No Whether the rule is applied to all protected branches. If set to true, the value of protected_branch_ids is ignored. Default is false. Introduced in GitLab 15.3.
group_ids Array No The IDs of groups as approvers.
protected_branch_ids Array No The IDs of protected branches to scope the rule by. To identify the ID, use the API.
report_type string No The report type required when the rule type is report_approver. The supported report types are license_scanning (Deprecated in GitLab 15.9) and code_coverage.
rule_type string No The type of rule. any_approver is a pre-configured default rule with approvals_required at 0. Other rules are regular and report_approver.
user_ids Array No The IDs of users as approvers. If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added.
usernames string array No The usernames of approvers for this rule (same as user_ids but requires a list of usernames). If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added. 
{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "security",
  "rule_type": "regular",
  "eligible_approvers": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    },
    {
      "id": 50,
      "name": "Group Member 1",
      "username": "group_member_1",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
    }
  ],
  "approvals_required": 1,
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    }
  ],
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "group1",
      "path": "group1",
      "description": "",
      "visibility": "public",
      "lfs_enabled": false,
      "avatar_url": null,
      "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
      "request_access_enabled": false,
      "full_name": "group1",
      "full_path": "group1",
      "parent_id": null,
      "ldap_cn": null,
      "ldap_access": null
    }
  ],
  "applies_to_all_protected_branches": false,
  "protected_branches": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "main",
      "push_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 30,
          "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "merge_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 30,
          "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "unprotect_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 40,
          "access_level_description": "Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "code_owner_approval_required": "false"
    }
  ],
  "contains_hidden_groups": false
}

You can increase the default number of 0 required approvers like this:

curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{"name": "Any name", "rule_type": "any_approver", "approvals_required": 2}'

Another example is creating an additional, user-specific rule:

curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{"name": "Name of your rule", "approvals_required": 3, "user_ids": [123, 456, 789]}' \
  https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/<project_id>/approval_rules

Update project-level rule

  • Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.
  • Removed the Vulnerability-Check feature in GitLab 15.0.
  • applies_to_all_protected_branches property was introduced in GitLab 15.3.
  • usernames property was introduced in GitLab 15.8.

You can update project approval rules using the following endpoint:

PUT /projects/:id/approval_rules/:approval_rule_id

NOTE: Approvers and groups (except hidden groups not in the users or groups parameters) are removed. Hidden groups are private groups the user doesn't have permission to view. Hidden groups are not removed by default unless the remove_hidden_groups parameter is true. This ensures hidden groups are not removed unintentionally when a user updates an approval rule.

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approvals_required integer Yes The number of required approvals for this rule.
approval_rule_id integer Yes The ID of a approval rule.
name string Yes The name of the approval rule.
applies_to_all_protected_branches boolean No Whether the rule is applied to all protected branches. If set to true, the value of protected_branch_ids is ignored. Default is false. Introduced in GitLab 15.3.
group_ids Array No The IDs of groups as approvers.
protected_branch_ids Array No The IDs of protected branches to scope the rule by. To identify the ID, use the API.
remove_hidden_groups boolean No Whether hidden groups should be removed from approval rule.
user_ids Array No The IDs of users as approvers. If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added.
usernames string array No The usernames of approvers for this rule (same as user_ids but requires a list of usernames). If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added. 
{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "security",
  "rule_type": "regular",
  "eligible_approvers": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    },
    {
      "id": 50,
      "name": "Group Member 1",
      "username": "group_member_1",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
    }
  ],
  "approvals_required": 1,
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    }
  ],
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "group1",
      "path": "group1",
      "description": "",
      "visibility": "public",
      "lfs_enabled": false,
      "avatar_url": null,
      "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
      "request_access_enabled": false,
      "full_name": "group1",
      "full_path": "group1",
      "parent_id": null,
      "ldap_cn": null,
      "ldap_access": null
    }
  ],
  "applies_to_all_protected_branches": false,
  "protected_branches": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "main",
      "push_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 30,
          "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "merge_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 30,
          "access_level_description": "Developers + Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "unprotect_access_levels": [
        {
          "access_level": 40,
          "access_level_description": "Maintainers"
        }
      ],
      "code_owner_approval_required": "false"
    }
  ],
  "contains_hidden_groups": false
}

Delete project-level rule

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

You can delete project approval rules using the following endpoint:

DELETE /projects/:id/approval_rules/:approval_rule_id

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approval_rule_id integer Yes The ID of a approval rule.

Merge request-level MR approvals

Configuration for approvals on a specific merge request. Must be authenticated for all endpoints.

Get Configuration

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

You can request information about a merge request's approval status using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approvals

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of the merge request. 
{
  "id": 5,
  "iid": 5,
  "project_id": 1,
  "title": "Approvals API",
  "description": "Test",
  "state": "opened",
  "created_at": "2016-06-08T00:19:52.638Z",
  "updated_at": "2016-06-08T21:20:42.470Z",
  "merge_status": "cannot_be_merged",
  "approvals_required": 2,
  "approvals_left": 1,
  "approved_by": [
    {
      "user": {
        "name": "Administrator",
        "username": "root",
        "id": 1,
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/e64c7d89f26bd1972efa854d13d7dd61?s=80\u0026d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost:3000/root"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Get the approval state of merge requests

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

You can request information about a merge request's approval state by using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approval_state

The approval_rules_overwritten are true if the merge request level rules are created for the merge request. If there are none, it is false.

This includes additional information about the users who have already approved (approved_by) and whether a rule is already approved (approved).

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of the merge request. 
{
  "approval_rules_overwritten": true,
  "rules": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "Ruby",
      "rule_type": "regular",
      "eligible_approvers": [
        {
          "id": 4,
          "name": "John Doe",
          "username": "jdoe",
          "state": "active",
          "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
          "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
        }
      ],
      "approvals_required": 2,
      "users": [
        {
          "id": 4,
          "name": "John Doe",
          "username": "jdoe",
          "state": "active",
          "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
          "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
        }
      ],
      "groups": [],
      "contains_hidden_groups": false,
      "approved_by": [
        {
          "id": 4,
          "name": "John Doe",
          "username": "jdoe",
          "state": "active",
          "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
          "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
        }
      ],
      "source_rule": null,
      "approved": true,
      "overridden": false
    }
  ]
}

Get merge request level rules

  • Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.
  • Pagination support introduced in GitLab 15.3 with a flag named approval_rules_pagination. Enabled by default.
  • Pagination support generally available in GitLab 15.7. Feature flag approval_rules_pagination removed.

You can request information about a merge request's approval rules using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approval_rules

Use the page and per_page pagination parameters to restrict the list of approval rules.

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of the merge request. 
[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "security",
    "rule_type": "regular",
    "eligible_approvers": [
      {
        "id": 5,
        "name": "John Doe",
        "username": "jdoe",
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
      },
      {
        "id": 50,
        "name": "Group Member 1",
        "username": "group_member_1",
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
      }
    ],
    "approvals_required": 3,
    "source_rule": null,
    "users": [
      {
        "id": 5,
        "name": "John Doe",
        "username": "jdoe",
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
      }
    ],
    "groups": [
      {
        "id": 5,
        "name": "group1",
        "path": "group1",
        "description": "",
        "visibility": "public",
        "lfs_enabled": false,
        "avatar_url": null,
        "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
        "request_access_enabled": false,
        "full_name": "group1",
        "full_path": "group1",
        "parent_id": null,
        "ldap_cn": null,
        "ldap_access": null
      }
    ],
    "contains_hidden_groups": false,
    "overridden": false
  }
]

Get a single merge request level rule

Introduced in GitLab 14.10.

You can request information about a single merge request approval rule using the following endpoint:

GET /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approval_rules/:approval_rule_id

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approval_rule_id integer Yes The ID of an approval rule.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of a merge request. 
{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "security",
  "rule_type": "regular",
  "eligible_approvers": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    },
    {
      "id": 50,
      "name": "Group Member 1",
      "username": "group_member_1",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
    }
  ],
  "approvals_required": 3,
  "source_rule": null,
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    }
  ],
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "group1",
      "path": "group1",
      "description": "",
      "visibility": "public",
      "lfs_enabled": false,
      "avatar_url": null,
      "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
      "request_access_enabled": false,
      "full_name": "group1",
      "full_path": "group1",
      "parent_id": null,
      "ldap_cn": null,
      "ldap_access": null
    }
  ],
  "contains_hidden_groups": false,
  "overridden": false
}

Create merge request level rule

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

You can create merge request approval rules using the following endpoint:

POST /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approval_rules

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project
approvals_required integer Yes The number of required approvals for this rule.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of the merge request.
name string Yes The name of the approval rule.
approval_project_rule_id integer No The ID of a project-level approval rule.
group_ids Array No The IDs of groups as approvers.
user_ids Array No The IDs of users as approvers. If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added.
usernames string array No The usernames of approvers for this rule (same as user_ids but requires a list of usernames). If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added.

Important: When approval_project_rule_id is set, the name, users and groups of project-level rule are copied. The approvals_required specified is used.

{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "security",
  "rule_type": "regular",
  "eligible_approvers": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    },
    {
      "id": 50,
      "name": "Group Member 1",
      "username": "group_member_1",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
    }
  ],
  "approvals_required": 1,
  "source_rule": null,
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    }
  ],
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "group1",
      "path": "group1",
      "description": "",
      "visibility": "public",
      "lfs_enabled": false,
      "avatar_url": null,
      "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
      "request_access_enabled": false,
      "full_name": "group1",
      "full_path": "group1",
      "parent_id": null,
      "ldap_cn": null,
      "ldap_access": null
    }
  ],
  "contains_hidden_groups": false,
  "overridden": false
}

Update merge request level rule

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

You can update merge request approval rules using the following endpoint:

PUT /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approval_rules/:approval_rule_id

Important: Approvers and groups not in the users/groups parameters are removed

Important: Updating a report_approver or code_owner rule is not allowed. These are system generated rules.

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approval_rule_id integer Yes The ID of an approval rule.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of a merge request.
approvals_required integer No The number of required approvals for this rule.
group_ids Array No The IDs of groups as approvers.
name string No The name of the approval rule.
remove_hidden_groups boolean No Whether hidden groups should be removed.
user_ids Array No The IDs of users as approvers. If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added.
usernames string array No The usernames of approvers for this rule (same as user_ids but requires a list of usernames). If you provide both user_ids and usernames, both lists of users are added. 
{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "security",
  "rule_type": "regular",
  "eligible_approvers": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    },
    {
      "id": 50,
      "name": "Group Member 1",
      "username": "group_member_1",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/group_member_1"
    }
  ],
  "approvals_required": 1,
  "source_rule": null,
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "username": "jdoe",
      "state": "active",
      "avatar_url": "https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/0?s=80&d=identicon",
      "web_url": "http://localhost/jdoe"
    }
  ],
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "name": "group1",
      "path": "group1",
      "description": "",
      "visibility": "public",
      "lfs_enabled": false,
      "avatar_url": null,
      "web_url": "http://localhost/groups/group1",
      "request_access_enabled": false,
      "full_name": "group1",
      "full_path": "group1",
      "parent_id": null,
      "ldap_cn": null,
      "ldap_access": null
    }
  ],
  "contains_hidden_groups": false,
  "overridden": false
}

Delete merge request level rule

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

You can delete merge request approval rules using the following endpoint:

DELETE /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approval_rules/:approval_rule_id

Important: Deleting a report_approver or code_owner rule is not allowed. These are system generated rules.

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approval_rule_id integer Yes The ID of an approval rule.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of the merge request.

Approve merge request

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

If you are allowed to, you can approve a merge request using the following endpoint:

POST /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/approve

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
approval_password string No Current user's password. Required if Require user password to approve is enabled in the project settings.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of the merge request.
sha string No The HEAD of the merge request.

The sha parameter works in the same way as when accepting a merge request: if it is passed, then it must match the current HEAD of the merge request for the approval to be added. If it does not match, the response code is 409.

{
  "id": 5,
  "iid": 5,
  "project_id": 1,
  "title": "Approvals API",
  "description": "Test",
  "state": "opened",
  "created_at": "2016-06-08T00:19:52.638Z",
  "updated_at": "2016-06-09T21:32:14.105Z",
  "merge_status": "can_be_merged",
  "approvals_required": 2,
  "approvals_left": 0,
  "approved_by": [
    {
      "user": {
        "name": "Administrator",
        "username": "root",
        "id": 1,
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/e64c7d89f26bd1972efa854d13d7dd61?s=80\u0026d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost:3000/root"
      }
    },
    {
      "user": {
        "name": "Nico Cartwright",
        "username": "ryley",
        "id": 2,
        "state": "active",
        "avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/cf7ad14b34162a76d593e3affca2adca?s=80\u0026d=identicon",
        "web_url": "http://localhost:3000/ryley"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Unapprove merge request

Moved to GitLab Premium in 13.9.

If you did approve a merge request, you can unapprove it using the following endpoint:

POST /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/unapprove

Supported attributes:

Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of a project.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The IID of a merge request.

Reset approvals of a merge request

Clear all approvals of merge request.

Available only for bot users based on project or group tokens. Users without bot permissions receive a 401 Unauthorized response.

PUT /projects/:id/merge_requests/:merge_request_iid/reset_approvals
Attribute Type Required Description
id integer or string Yes The ID or URL-encoded path of the project owned by the authenticated user.
merge_request_iid integer Yes The internal ID of the merge request. 
curl --request PUT --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/76/merge_requests/1/reset_approvals"