Bitbucket Cloud will roll out significant updates in late April 2024, transitioning custom merge checks from open beta to general availability. These changes unify the pull request review experience and introduce enhanced merge check configurations aimed at delivering more precise control for developers and administrators.
- Custom merge checks move from beta to general availability.
- On-merge checks validate conditions during the merge process.
- Admins can configure checks as 'required' or 'recommended'.
What happened
Atlassian announced that Bitbucket Cloud will graduate its custom merge checks feature from open beta to general availability in late April 2024. This upgrade will unify the user interface for both classic and custom merge checks by consolidating their separate UI cards into a single streamlined experience. The update also introduces a new type of merge check—'on-merge' checks—which execute at the exact moment a merge is attempted.
Previously, classic pre-merge checks verified pull request conditions before merge attempts began, while custom merge checks added more flexibility and functionality during the beta phase. With these changes, pre-merge and on-merge checks coexist, with on-merge checks providing real-time validation feedback at the point of merge initiation to either allow or block the merge instantly.
Why it matters
This consolidation and new capability address several workflow challenges. By standardizing merge check behaviors and interface elements, development teams gain clearer and more consistent feedback on code quality and policy compliance. The introduction of on-merge checks is especially powerful for enforcing dynamic conditions that depend on the precise timing of the merge action, such as business-hour restrictions or last-minute validations.
In addition, the update improves administrative control by allowing repository owners to configure each custom merge check's strictness level as either 'required' or 'recommended.' This granular control lets teams prioritize critical checks while still encouraging best practices without blocking merges in non-premium environments, thereby enhancing operational flexibility.
What to watch next
Developers and repository admins should prepare for the upcoming changes by reviewing their current merge check configurations and planning adjustments to leverage on-merge checks where appropriate. Teams can also explore creating custom Forge apps that define tailored on-merge checks targeted to specific branches or business rules, taking advantage of new UI configuration capabilities at the workspace or repository level.
It will be important to monitor the rollout timeline closely and provide feedback on usability and effectiveness once GA releases. Furthermore, organizations that rely heavily on premium workspace features should evaluate how the ability to set check strictness could optimize their merge policies and improve development velocity without compromising code quality.