Minor: Missing CODEOWNERS File for Code Review Assignment

[AliiiBenn]

Priority

🟡 Minor - Team Workflow & Code Review

Location

Repository root - missing .github/CODEOWNERS

Problem Description

No CODEOWNERS file means code review assignments are manual and unstructured.

Current State

No .github/CODEOWNERS file - PRs require manual reviewer assignment, no automatic ownership rules.

Issues

1. Manual Reviewer Assignment

Every PR needs manual reviewer selection, forgets to assign reviewers, wrong reviewers assigned, time-consuming.

2. No Ownership Clarity

Who owns this code? src/core/compiler/, src/api/courses/, src/collections/

3. Critical Files Unprotected

Anyone can merge changes to next.config.mjs, src/lib/auth.ts, src/payload.config.ts

4. Onboarding Confusion

New contributors don't know who to ask, unclear who approves what, review responsibilities unclear.

Expected Behavior

.github/CODEOWNERS

Define code owners for each area of the codebase.

Benefits

Automatic Reviewer Assignment

When PR is created, GitHub automatically assigns reviewers based on files changed.

Required Approvals

Can require approval from specific CODEOWNERS for critical files.

Protection Rules

Critical files require approval from specific owners.

Steps to Fix

1. Identify code owners for each area
2. Create .github/CODEOWNERS
3. Test with sample PR
4. Document in contributing guide
5. Set up branch protection rules
6. Onboard team on new workflow

Team Structure Recommendations

For Small Teams (1-3 people)

* @founder @cto
/src/core/compiler/ @cto

For Medium Teams (4-10 people)

* @tech-lead
/src/core/compiler/ @backend-lead @tech-lead
/src/components/ @frontend-lead @tech-lead
/src/api/ @backend-lead @api-owner

Additional Context

CODEOWNERS is critical for:

• Large teams (10+ developers)
• Open source projects (external contributors)
• Security-sensitive code (auth, payments)
• Complex architectures (clear responsibilities)

Best Practices

1. Keep owners updated: Review CODEOWNERS quarterly
2. Avoid bottlenecks: Have backup owners for each area
3. Be specific: More granular rules are better
4. Document decisions: Explain why certain owners are needed
5. Use teams: Prefer teams over individuals for scalability