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Git repositories and pipelines

Connect RuleForge to the Git repository where your team keeps rules and decoders. After that, you can import existing content, publish changes, and optionally trigger configured pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins).

How it works​

RuleForge works with two layers, in this order:

  1. Git provider connection (organization-wide) — stores access to GitHub, GitLab, or Gitea.
  2. Project-to-repository link — chooses which repository and branch each RuleForge project mirrors.

You only need to set up the connection once; different projects can have different links.

Supported providers​

  • GitHub (Personal Access Token or GitHub App)
  • GitLab (different token types)
  • Gitea

For more sensitive corporate environments, GitHub App is usually the safest path.

Connect your Git​

  1. Open Settings → Integrations → Repositories.
  2. Click New connection.
  3. Choose the provider and enter credentials.
  4. Click Test connection — RuleForge confirms access works before saving.

If the test fails, review the credential and scope of permissions on the provider.

  1. In the project, open Integrations → Git.
  2. Click Link repository.
  3. Choose the connection you created earlier.
  4. Select the repository and branch.
  5. RuleForge analyzes the repository and suggests where rules and decoders live.
  6. Review or adjust the suggestion and save.

RuleForge doesn't let you save until the link is validated. This avoids a configuration error surfacing only at publish time.

Import existing content​

After linking, you can bring the current repository content into RuleForge:

  1. Open the linked project.
  2. Click Import from Git.
  3. Check the summary: number of files, paths, last changes.
  4. Confirm the import.

The content comes in as a draft (workspace). You can still review everything before publishing.

Publish changes​

When publishing from RuleForge, you choose between two strategies:

  • Pull request (or merge request) — RuleForge opens a merge request on your provider, for review in the flow you already use.
  • Direct commit — RuleForge commits changes directly to the linked branch. Ideal for automation environments where review happens elsewhere.

The strategy is set in the project link and can be adjusted when the team's process changes.

Trigger pipelines​

If your team uses CI pipelines to validate, test, or deploy published content, RuleForge can trigger them automatically or on demand.

  1. Open Settings → Integrations → Pipelines.
  2. Choose the provider (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins).
  3. Enter the pipeline target and credential.
  4. Click Test before saving.

After it's set up, the pipeline can be triggered manually from the project, or automatically based on your team's flow.

Common issues​

The connection test fails​

Review the credential on the provider, the scope of permissions, and — if applicable — the GitHub App installation on your organization.

RuleForge couldn't find the rules/decoders in the repository structure. Adjust the suggested paths on the screen and run validation again.

Publishing doesn't open a pull/merge request​

Check the strategy set on the link and whether the credential has permission to open PR/MR on the provider.