#Merge blockers

▍blocker-column120×32

blocker-columnA merge request table whose rightmost data column gives a plain-language reason each row cannot merge: ready, ci failed, conflicts, needs 1, 3 threads open, blocked by 2, changes requested, draft, and checking.

#The values

No value falls through to the raw enum. A test fails while any value in the pinned schema is unmapped, and a value added by a future GitLab release is title-cased and logged rather than dropped, so the cell stays readable.

#Colours and glyphs

Every state carries a glyph, a colour and a word, so the column survives a colour-blind reader, a NO_COLOR terminal, and a screenshot.

A failed job marked allow_failure renders as a warning rather than an error, so red keeps meaning something is broken.

#What you can do

Key	Action	Key	Action
v	approve, which clears needs n	U	update the branch, which clears needs rebase
R	retry the head pipeline, for ci failed	L	jump to the failing job's log
]	preview tab: which approval rule is unmet	o	open in the browser, for conflicts

#Filtering on a blocker

The column is always drawn, and it never drops on a narrow terminal. Two filters worth a tab:

• Ready to merge. Browse to your group, then state:opened draft:false approved:true, then P.
• Stuck on me. From the review queue, approved-by-me:false, then P.

5 is the conflicts quick filter, for the same thing without typing.

#Approval rule detail

needs 1 gives the count. The preview's Approvals tab names the rule:

▍approvals-tab120×32

approvals-tabA preview pane approvals tab showing that one approval from the backend-owners group is still required, and that two other rules are satisfied.