# Create or update an environment's protection rules

> Create an environment's protection rules, or change them; fields left out stay as they are.

<div class="g1t-endpoint"><span class="g1t-method" data-method="put">PUT</span><code>/repos/{owner}/{name}/environments/{environment}</code></div>

A job that names the environment with `environment:` waits, once its needs are done, until the rules let it through, and only then gets the environment's secrets. reviewers: up to 6, each {"type": "User" or "Team", "name": a username or a team's slug} (id is read as the name too); a job waits until one of them approves it. prevent_self_review: whoever started the run may not approve it. wait_timer: minutes each job waits, 0 to 43200. deployment_branch_policy: null lets every branch deploy; {"protected_branches": true} only branches the repository's rules protect (the default branch included); {"custom_branch_policies": true} only the branches and tags in branch_policies, each {"name": a pattern such as release/*, "type": "branch" or "tag"}. can_admins_bypass (true unless you say): admins may approve without being reviewers, which also skips the wait. The environment's name is up to 40 letters, digits, - and _, matched without regard to case. Needs the Admin role. Returns the environment with its protection_rules.

Fields left out stay as they are. A job with `environment: production` now waits for syntaqx or someone in deployers to approve it, then ten minutes, and runs only on a protected branch.

- **Authentication:** Required. Send an [access token](/reference/api/#authentication) as `Authorization: Bearer`.
- **MCP tool:** [`workflow`](/reference/mcp/#workflow) with `action` `update_environment`, and the same inputs
- **Scope:** An access token needs [`repo:admin`](/guides/authentication/#scopes).

## Path parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `owner` | string | Yes | The workspace that owns the repository. |
| `name` | string | Yes | The repository's name. |
| `environment` | string | Yes | The environment's name, such as production. |

## Body parameters

Send a JSON object. Names are `snake_case`, as in responses; the `camelCase` spelling is accepted too.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `wait_timer` | integer | No | Minutes each job waits before it may start, 0 to 43200. |
| `prevent_self_review` | boolean | No | Whoever started a run may not approve its jobs. |
| `reviewers` | array of objects or null | No | Up to 6 people or teams who may approve its jobs; empty for none. |
| `deployment_branch_policy` | object or null | No | null: every branch may deploy. protected_branches: only protected ones. custom_branch_policies: only those in branch_policies. |
| `branch_policies` | array of objects | No | With custom_branch_policies: the branches and tags that may deploy, at most 50. |
| `branch_policies[].name` | string | No | A pattern, such as main, release/* or v*. |
| `branch_policies[].type` | string | No | One of `branch`, `tag`. |
| `can_admins_bypass` | boolean | No | Admins may approve without being reviewers, skipping the wait. True unless you say. |

## Example request

```sh
curl -X PUT https://api.g1t.sh/repos/flagon-io/g1t/environments/production \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $G1T_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "wait_timer": 10,
    "prevent_self_review": true,
    "reviewers": [
      {
        "type": "User",
        "name": "syntaqx"
      },
      {
        "type": "Team",
        "name": "deployers"
      }
    ],
    "deployment_branch_policy": {
      "protected_branches": true,
      "custom_branch_policies": false
    }
  }'
```

## Example response

A successful request answers `200` with:

```json
{
  "name": "production",
  "protection_rules": [
    {
      "type": "required_reviewers",
      "prevent_self_review": true,
      "reviewers": [
        {
          "type": "User",
          "reviewer": {
            "login": "syntaqx"
          }
        },
        {
          "type": "Team",
          "reviewer": {
            "slug": "deployers"
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "wait_timer",
      "wait_timer": 10
    },
    {
      "type": "branch_policy"
    }
  ],
  "deployment_branch_policy": {
    "protected_branches": true,
    "custom_branch_policies": false
  },
  "branch_policies": [],
  "can_admins_bypass": true,
  "protected": true,
  "updated_at": "2026-10-08T09:12:44.103Z",
  "updated_by": "syntaqx"
}
```

## Errors

A failed request answers with one of these statuses and a body like `{"error": {"code": "not_found", "message": "Repository not found."}}`. See [errors](/reference/api/#errors).

| Status | Code | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthenticated` | A token is required, or the one sent is not valid. |
| 403 | `forbidden` | The token is valid but not allowed to do this, such as a member-only change or an agent token outside its repository. |
| 404 | `not_found` | It does not exist, or you cannot see it. |
| 409 | `conflict` | The request conflicts with the current state. |
| 422 | `invalid` | The input is not valid. `message` says which field and why. |