@@ -9,6 +9,33 @@ in [GitLab Starter](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/) 11.3.
> - [Support for group namespaces](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/issues/53182) added in GitLab Starter 12.1.
> - Code Owners for Merge Request approvals was [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/issues/4418) in [GitLab Premium](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/) 11.9.
## Introduction
When contributing to a project, it can often be difficult
to find out who should review or approve merge requests.
Additionally, if you have a question over a specific file or
code block, it may be difficult to know who to find the answer from.
GitLab Code Owners is a feature to define who owns specific
files or paths in a repository, allowing other users to understand
who is responsible for each file or path.
## Why is this useful?
Code Owners allows for a version controlled single source of
truth file outlining the exact GitLab users or groups that
own certain files or paths in a repository. Code Owners can be
utilized in the merge request approval process which can streamline
the process of finding the right reviewers and approvers for a given
merge request.
In larger organizations or popular open source projects, Code Owners
can also be useful to understand who to contact if you have
a question that may not be related to code review or a merge request
approval.
## How to set up Code Owners
You can use a `CODEOWNERS` file to specify users or
