How to fix remote: error: GH006: Protected branch update failed - required approving review in Git

The correct approach is to create a pull request and get it reviewed:

# Create a feature branch from your current work
git checkout -b feature/your-changes

# Push the feature branch to the remote
git push -u origin feature/your-changes

Then on GitHub:
1. Open a pull request from your feature branch to the protected branch
2. Request a review from a team member with write access
3. Address any feedback and get approval
4. Merge the pull request through the GitHub interface

This is the intended workflow and should be the default approach.

If you have repository access, review what's configured:

1. Go to your repository on GitHub
2. Navigate to Settings > Branches
3. Under "Branch protection rules," find your branch rule
4. Click Edit to see the current settings

Look for these settings:
- Require a pull request before merging - Must use PRs
- Require approvals - Number of reviews needed (e.g., 1 or 2)
- Require review from Code Owners - CODEOWNERS file reviewers must approve
- Dismiss stale pull request approvals - New commits require re-review
- Do not allow bypassing the above settings - Even admins can't bypass

If your workflow legitimately requires direct push access (rare):

1. Ask a repository admin to go to Settings > Branches
2. Edit the branch protection rule
3. Under "Allow specified actors to bypass required pull requests"
4. Add your GitHub username, team, or GitHub App
5. Save the changes

Important considerations:
- Only request this if you have a legitimate need (e.g., release automation)
- This weakens code review protections
- Consider using a dedicated service account instead of your personal account
- Document why bypass access was granted

For automated workflows that need to push to protected branches:

Option 1: Use a Personal Access Token (PAT)

1. Create a PAT with repo scope at GitHub Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens
2. Add the PAT owner to the bypass actors list
3. Add the PAT as a repository secret (e.g., BUILD_PAT)
4. Update your GitHub Actions workflow:

- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    token: ${{ secrets.BUILD_PAT }}

- name: Configure git
  run: |
    git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
    git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"

Option 2: Create a GitHub App

1. Create a GitHub App with contents: write permission
2. Install the app on your repository
3. Add the app to the bypass actors list
4. Use the app's installation token in workflows

GitHub Rulesets provide more granular control than classic branch protection:

1. Go to Settings > Rules > Rulesets
2. Create a new ruleset or convert existing branch protection
3. Under "Bypass list," configure who can bypass:
- Repository admins
- Specific teams or users
- GitHub Apps
- Deploy keys

Rulesets advantages:
- Can apply to multiple branches with patterns
- GitHub Apps can be added to bypass list (not possible with classic protection)
- Can be applied at organization level
- More intuitive bypass configuration

If you're a code owner and cannot get someone else to review:

Scenario: You own a file, made changes, but need approval from a code owner (yourself).

Solutions:

1. Add another code owner: Update the CODEOWNERS file to include another team member for those paths

2. Request a non-code-owner review: If "Require review from Code Owners" is not checked, any reviewer with write access can approve

3. Temporary code owner change: Have an admin temporarily modify CODEOWNERS to allow someone else to approve

4. Admin bypass: If urgent, an admin can:
- Temporarily disable "Require review from Code Owners"
- Merge the PR
- Re-enable the setting

# Check current CODEOWNERS file
cat .github/CODEOWNERS