Skip to main content

Labels

Last updated on

Labels categorize and filter pull requests in Harness Code Repository. Use them to organize work and make ownership and priority visible in a long pull request list.

Labels support several patterns:

  • Simple categories: Terms such as bug, feature request, or docs.
  • Priority or severity: Name and value pairs such as priority: urgent or priority: low.
  • Ownership: Labels such as team: frontend or team: backend that identify who owns the pull request.
  • Filtering: Any label can narrow a large pull request list.

If you are looking for release tags rather than labels, go to Tag.

Before you begin​

  • Label permissions: You need create and edit permission for Harness Code at the scope where you want the label to exist. Go to the permissions reference to review the permission list, and to RBAC in Harness to configure roles. If you lack the required permissions, ask your administrator to grant access or to create the label for you.

Types of labels​

All labels in Harness Code are customizable, and you can create or modify them to fit your project or team.

A label can be a simple text value such as Do not Merge, or it can carry enumerated values such as status: in progress, status: completed, or status: blocked. You can limit a label to a predefined set of values, or allow users to add new values when they apply it.

Create a label​

You can define labels and their values at several scopes. The scope determines where the label is available:

ScopeAvailability
RepositoryThat repository only.
ProjectEvery repository in the project.
OrganizationEvery project and repository in the organization.
AccountEvery repository in the account, for every user.
tip

Create labels at the highest scope that makes sense, so they stay reusable across projects and repositories.

Create a repository scoped label​

To create a label for a single repository, do the following:

  1. Go to Settings in the repository.
  2. Click Labels.
  3. Click + Create Label.

Create a label at project, organization, or account scope​

To create a label that spans repositories, do the following:

  1. In the Code Repository module, go to Manage Repositories.
  2. Click Labels.
  3. Click + Create Label.

Add a value to a label​

When you create a label, you can define a list of allowed values that users select from when they apply it. Each value can carry its own color, so priority: urgent can render red and priority: low can render green.

Allow users to add values​

You can permit users to add new values to an existing label, so a labeling system can evolve with the project. Select the option to allow new values when you create or edit the label.

Every value a user adds joins the label definition and becomes available whenever that label is applied.

Apply a label to a pull request​

You apply labels when you create or edit a pull request. Any user with permission to create or review a pull request can add, remove, or update labels and values on it, and every change is recorded in the pull request activity.

  • Simple labels: Start typing, then select the label.
  • Labels with values: Find the label, then choose a value. A pull request can carry only one value per label.

Labels appear in the pull request list, so anyone who can view a pull request can see its labels.

Add a new value when applying a label​

If a label allows custom values, select the option to add a new value and enter it in the input field. The new value joins the label definition.

Troubleshooting​

The + Create Label option is unavailable in Harness Code Repository settings

Creating a label requires create and edit permission at the scope you are working in. Ask an administrator to assign a role that includes it at the repository, project, organization, or account level.

A label created at organization or account scope does not appear on a Harness Code pull request

Confirm the pull request repository sits inside the scope where the label was defined. A repository-scoped label is not visible to other repositories.

A user cannot add a new value to an existing label in Harness Code

The label must be configured to allow users to add values. Edit the label and select the option that permits new values.

Next steps​

You can now categorize pull requests consistently and filter a long list down to the work that matters.

  • PR Dashboard: Filter pull requests by label across account, organization, and project scope.
  • Create a pull request: Apply labels as you open a pull request.
  • Tag: Use Git tags for releases rather than labels.
Last updated on