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Connect Datawise to GitHub to enable Schema Guardian. Once connected, Datawise analyzes pull requests in your connected repos, detects breaking schema changes, and posts a detailed bot comment with downstream impact and mitigation guidance.

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Prerequisites

  • A GitHub account with admin access to the repositories you want to connect.
  • At least one repository that contains dbt model code or SQL files that reference warehouse schemas.

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Connection Setup

Go to Connectors, click Add Connector, and select GitHub.

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OAuth Authorization

Clicking Connect redirects you to GitHub where you authorize the Datawise GitHub App. During authorization you can choose:
  • All repositories — Datawise can access any repo in your organization.
  • Selected repositories — Datawise only accesses repos you explicitly choose. Add more later from GitHub under Settings > Applications > Authorized GitHub Apps.

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Selecting Repos

After authorization, select which repositories Schema Guardian should monitor.

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How Schema Guardian Works

When a pull request is opened or updated:
  1. Datawise fetches the PR diff from GitHub.
  2. SQL and dbt model files are analyzed using AI to identify schema changes.
  3. Breaking changes are classified: column removals, renames, type changes, breaking model restructures.
  4. Downstream impact is resolved using your connected warehouse and dbt lineage.
  5. A bot comment is posted in the PR with breaking changes, impacted assets, and mitigation recommendations.
The bot comment updates automatically on each new commit to the PR.

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Merge Protection

When enabled, Datawise posts a GitHub status check alongside the bot comment. If a breaking change is detected, the check returns failure and blocks the merge button. Available on: Pro and Enterprise. To enable:
  1. Go to Settings > Merge Protection in Datawise.
  2. Toggle on the repos where you want enforcement.
  3. In GitHub, add datawise/schema-guardian as a required status check in your branch protection rules.
Admin users can override a blocked merge from the Schema Guardian view in Datawise.

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Permissions

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After Connecting

  • Schema Guardian begins analyzing new pull requests in connected repos automatically.
  • The Schema Guardian view shows all analyzed PRs, detected changes, and bot comment status.
  • Historical PRs are not retroactively analyzed.