Allow configuring default PR base branch (fixes #36412)

models/git/branch.go

@@ -490,12 +490,25 @@ func FindRecentlyPushedNewBranches(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, o
 		opts.CommitAfterUnix = time.Now().Add(-time.Hour * 2).Unix()
 	}
 
-	baseBranch, err := GetBranch(ctx, opts.BaseRepo.ID, opts.BaseRepo.DefaultBranch)
+	var ignoredCommitIDs []string
+	baseDefaultBranch, err := GetBranch(ctx, opts.BaseRepo.ID, opts.BaseRepo.DefaultBranch)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		log.Warn("GetBranch:DefaultBranch: %v", err)
+	} else {
+		ignoredCommitIDs = append(ignoredCommitIDs, baseDefaultBranch.CommitID)
+	}
+
+	baseDefaultTargetBranchName := opts.BaseRepo.MustGetUnit(ctx, unit.TypePullRequests).PullRequestsConfig().DefaultTargetBranch
+	if baseDefaultTargetBranchName != "" && baseDefaultTargetBranchName != opts.BaseRepo.DefaultBranch {
+		baseDefaultTargetBranch, err := GetBranch(ctx, opts.BaseRepo.ID, baseDefaultTargetBranchName)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Warn("GetBranch:DefaultTargetBranch: %v", err)
+		} else {
+			ignoredCommitIDs = append(ignoredCommitIDs, baseDefaultTargetBranch.CommitID)
+		}
 	}
 
-	// find all related branches, these branches may already created PRs, we will check later
+	// find all related branches, these branches may already have PRs, we will check later
 	var branches []*Branch
 	if err := db.GetEngine(ctx).
 		Where(builder.And(
@@ -506,18 +519,16 @@ func FindRecentlyPushedNewBranches(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, o
 			builder.Gte{"commit_time": opts.CommitAfterUnix},
 			builder.In("repo_id", repoIDs),
 			// newly created branch have no changes, so skip them
-			builder.Neq{"commit_id": baseBranch.CommitID},
+			builder.NotIn("commit_id", ignoredCommitIDs),
 		)).
 		OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByRecentUpdated.String()).
 		Find(&branches); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	newBranches := make([]*RecentlyPushedNewBranch, 0, len(branches))
-	if opts.MaxCount == 0 {
-		// by default we display 2 recently pushed new branch
-		opts.MaxCount = 2
-	}
+	opts.MaxCount = util.IfZero(opts.MaxCount, 2) // by default, we display 2 recently pushed new branch
+	baseTargetBranchName := opts.BaseRepo.GetPullRequestTargetBranch(ctx)
 	for _, branch := range branches {
 		// whether the branch is protected
 		protected, err := IsBranchProtected(ctx, branch.RepoID, branch.Name)
@@ -555,7 +566,7 @@ func FindRecentlyPushedNewBranches(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, o
 				BranchDisplayName: branchDisplayName,
 				BranchName:        branch.Name,
 				BranchLink:        fmt.Sprintf("%s/src/branch/%s", branch.Repo.Link(), util.PathEscapeSegments(branch.Name)),
-				BranchCompareURL:  branch.Repo.ComposeBranchCompareURL(opts.BaseRepo, branch.Name),
+				BranchCompareURL:  branch.Repo.ComposeBranchCompareURL(opts.BaseRepo, baseTargetBranchName, branch.Name),
 				CommitTime:        branch.CommitTime,
 			})
 		}

models/repo/pull_request_default.go

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package repo
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unit"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
+)
+
+func (repo *Repository) GetPullRequestTargetBranch(ctx context.Context) string {
+	unitPRConfig := repo.MustGetUnit(ctx, unit.TypePullRequests).PullRequestsConfig()
+	return util.IfZero(unitPRConfig.DefaultTargetBranch, repo.DefaultBranch)
+}

models/repo/pull_request_default_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package repo
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unit"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unittest"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestDefaultTargetBranchSelection(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
+
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &Repository{ID: 1})
+
+	assert.Equal(t, repo.DefaultBranch, repo.GetPullRequestTargetBranch(ctx))
+
+	repo.Units = nil
+	prUnit, err := repo.GetUnit(ctx, unit.TypePullRequests)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	prConfig := prUnit.PullRequestsConfig()
+	prConfig.DefaultTargetBranch = "branch2"
+	prUnit.Config = prConfig
+	assert.NoError(t, UpdateRepoUnit(ctx, prUnit))
+	repo.Units = nil
+	assert.Equal(t, "branch2", repo.GetPullRequestTargetBranch(ctx))
+}

models/repo/repo.go

@@ -613,16 +613,13 @@ func (repo *Repository) ComposeCompareURL(oldCommitID, newCommitID string) strin
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/compare/%s...%s", url.PathEscape(repo.OwnerName), url.PathEscape(repo.Name), util.PathEscapeSegments(oldCommitID), util.PathEscapeSegments(newCommitID))
 }
 
-func (repo *Repository) ComposeBranchCompareURL(baseRepo *Repository, branchName string) string {
-	if baseRepo == nil {
-		baseRepo = repo
-	}
+func (repo *Repository) ComposeBranchCompareURL(baseRepo *Repository, baseBranch, branchName string) string {
 	var cmpBranchEscaped string
 	if repo.ID != baseRepo.ID {
 		cmpBranchEscaped = fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s:", url.PathEscape(repo.OwnerName), url.PathEscape(repo.Name))
 	}
 	cmpBranchEscaped = fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cmpBranchEscaped, util.PathEscapeSegments(branchName))
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/compare/%s...%s", baseRepo.Link(), util.PathEscapeSegments(baseRepo.DefaultBranch), cmpBranchEscaped)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/compare/%s...%s", baseRepo.Link(), util.PathEscapeSegments(baseBranch), cmpBranchEscaped)
 }
 
 // IsOwnedBy returns true when user owns this repository

models/repo/repo_unit.go

@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ type PullRequestsConfig struct {
 	DefaultDeleteBranchAfterMerge bool
 	DefaultMergeStyle             MergeStyle
 	DefaultAllowMaintainerEdit    bool
+	DefaultTargetBranch           string
 }
 
 // FromDB fills up a PullRequestsConfig from serialized format.

modules/structs/repo.go

@@ -58,26 +58,27 @@ type Repository struct {
 	Fork        bool   `json:"fork"`
 	Template    bool   `json:"template"`
 	// the original repository if this repository is a fork, otherwise null
-	Parent        *Repository `json:"parent,omitempty"`
-	Mirror        bool        `json:"mirror"`
-	Size          int         `json:"size"`
-	Language      string      `json:"language"`
-	LanguagesURL  string      `json:"languages_url"`
-	HTMLURL       string      `json:"html_url"`
-	URL           string      `json:"url"`
-	Link          string      `json:"link"`
-	SSHURL        string      `json:"ssh_url"`
-	CloneURL      string      `json:"clone_url"`
-	OriginalURL   string      `json:"original_url"`
-	Website       string      `json:"website"`
-	Stars         int         `json:"stars_count"`
-	Forks         int         `json:"forks_count"`
-	Watchers      int         `json:"watchers_count"`
-	OpenIssues    int         `json:"open_issues_count"`
-	OpenPulls     int         `json:"open_pr_counter"`
-	Releases      int         `json:"release_counter"`
-	DefaultBranch string      `json:"default_branch"`
-	Archived      bool        `json:"archived"`
+	Parent              *Repository `json:"parent,omitempty"`
+	Mirror              bool        `json:"mirror"`
+	Size                int         `json:"size"`
+	Language            string      `json:"language"`
+	LanguagesURL        string      `json:"languages_url"`
+	HTMLURL             string      `json:"html_url"`
+	URL                 string      `json:"url"`
+	Link                string      `json:"link"`
+	SSHURL              string      `json:"ssh_url"`
+	CloneURL            string      `json:"clone_url"`
+	OriginalURL         string      `json:"original_url"`
+	Website             string      `json:"website"`
+	Stars               int         `json:"stars_count"`
+	Forks               int         `json:"forks_count"`
+	Watchers            int         `json:"watchers_count"`
+	OpenIssues          int         `json:"open_issues_count"`
+	OpenPulls           int         `json:"open_pr_counter"`
+	Releases            int         `json:"release_counter"`
+	DefaultBranch       string      `json:"default_branch"`
+	DefaultTargetBranch string      `json:"default_target_branch,omitempty"`
+	Archived            bool        `json:"archived"`
 	// swagger:strfmt date-time
 	Created time.Time `json:"created_at"`
 	// swagger:strfmt date-time

options/locale/locale_en-US.json

@@ -2124,6 +2124,8 @@
   "repo.settings.pulls.ignore_whitespace": "Ignore Whitespace for Conflicts",
   "repo.settings.pulls.enable_autodetect_manual_merge": "Enable autodetect manual merge (Note: In some special cases, misjudgments can occur)",
   "repo.settings.pulls.allow_rebase_update": "Enable updating pull request branch by rebase",
+  "repo.settings.pulls.default_target_branch": "Default target branch for new pull requests",
+  "repo.settings.pulls.default_target_branch_default": "Default branch (%s)",
   "repo.settings.pulls.default_delete_branch_after_merge": "Delete pull request branch after merge by default",
   "repo.settings.pulls.default_allow_edits_from_maintainers": "Allow edits from maintainers by default",
   "repo.settings.releases_desc": "Enable Repository Releases",
@@ -2436,9 +2438,10 @@
   "repo.settings.block_outdated_branch_desc": "Merging will not be possible when head branch is behind base branch.",
   "repo.settings.block_admin_merge_override": "Administrators must follow branch protection rules",
   "repo.settings.block_admin_merge_override_desc": "Administrators must follow branch protection rules and cannot circumvent it.",
-  "repo.settings.default_branch_desc": "Select a default repository branch for pull requests and code commits:",
+  "repo.settings.default_branch_desc": "Select a default branch for code commits.",
+  "repo.settings.default_target_branch_desc": "Pull requests can use different default target branch if it is set in the Pull Requests section of Repository Advance Settings.",
   "repo.settings.merge_style_desc": "Merge Styles",
-  "repo.settings.default_merge_style_desc": "Default Merge Style",
+  "repo.settings.default_merge_style_desc": "Default merge style",
   "repo.settings.choose_branch": "Choose a branch…",
   "repo.settings.no_protected_branch": "There are no protected branches.",
   "repo.settings.edit_protected_branch": "Edit",
@@ -2650,7 +2653,7 @@
   "repo.branch.restore_success": "Branch \"%s\" has been restored.",
   "repo.branch.restore_failed": "Failed to restore branch \"%s\".",
   "repo.branch.protected_deletion_failed": "Branch \"%s\" is protected. It cannot be deleted.",
-  "repo.branch.default_deletion_failed": "Branch \"%s\" is the default branch. It cannot be deleted.",
+  "repo.branch.default_deletion_failed": "Branch \"%s\" is the default or pull request target branch. It cannot be deleted.",
   "repo.branch.default_branch_not_exist": "Default branch \"%s\" does not exist.",
   "repo.branch.restore": "Restore Branch \"%s\"",
   "repo.branch.download": "Download Branch \"%s\"",

routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go

@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func DeleteBranch(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		case git.IsErrBranchNotExist(err):
 			ctx.APIErrorNotFound(err)
 		case errors.Is(err, repo_service.ErrBranchIsDefault):
-			ctx.APIError(http.StatusForbidden, errors.New("can not delete default branch"))
+			ctx.APIError(http.StatusForbidden, errors.New("can not delete default or pull request target branch"))
 		case errors.Is(err, git_model.ErrBranchIsProtected):
 			ctx.APIError(http.StatusForbidden, errors.New("branch protected"))
 		default:

routers/api/v1/repo/pull.go

@@ -1138,7 +1138,7 @@ func parseCompareInfo(ctx *context.APIContext, compareParam string) (result *git
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
-	baseRef := ctx.Repo.GitRepo.UnstableGuessRefByShortName(util.IfZero(compareReq.BaseOriRef, baseRepo.DefaultBranch))
+	baseRef := ctx.Repo.GitRepo.UnstableGuessRefByShortName(util.IfZero(compareReq.BaseOriRef, baseRepo.GetPullRequestTargetBranch(ctx)))
 	headRef := headGitRepo.UnstableGuessRefByShortName(util.IfZero(compareReq.HeadOriRef, headRepo.DefaultBranch))
 
 	log.Trace("Repo path: %q, base ref: %q->%q, head ref: %q->%q", ctx.Repo.Repository.RelativePath(), compareReq.BaseOriRef, baseRef, compareReq.HeadOriRef, headRef)

routers/web/repo/branch.go

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ func Branches(ctx *context.Context) {
 	ctx.Data["AllowsPulls"] = ctx.Repo.Repository.AllowsPulls(ctx)
 	ctx.Data["IsWriter"] = ctx.Repo.CanWrite(unit.TypeCode)
 	ctx.Data["IsMirror"] = ctx.Repo.Repository.IsMirror
+	// TODO: Can be replaced by ctx.Repo.PullRequestCtx.CanCreateNewPull()
 	ctx.Data["CanPull"] = ctx.Repo.CanWrite(unit.TypeCode) ||
 		(ctx.IsSigned && repo_model.HasForkedRepo(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID))
 	ctx.Data["PageIsViewCode"] = true

routers/web/repo/compare.go

@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ func ParseCompareInfo(ctx *context.Context) *git_service.CompareInfo {
 	}
 
 	// 4 get base and head refs
-	baseRefName := util.IfZero(compareReq.BaseOriRef, baseRepo.DefaultBranch)
+	baseRefName := util.IfZero(compareReq.BaseOriRef, baseRepo.GetPullRequestTargetBranch(ctx))
 	headRefName := util.IfZero(compareReq.HeadOriRef, headRepo.DefaultBranch)
 
 	baseRef := ctx.Repo.GitRepo.UnstableGuessRefByShortName(baseRefName)
@@ -276,10 +276,10 @@ func ParseCompareInfo(ctx *context.Context) *git_service.CompareInfo {
 	ctx.Data["BaseBranch"] = baseRef.ShortName() // for legacy templates
 	ctx.Data["HeadUser"] = headOwner
 	ctx.Data["HeadBranch"] = headRef.ShortName() // for legacy templates
-	ctx.Repo.PullRequest.SameRepo = isSameRepo
-
 	ctx.Data["IsPull"] = true
 
+	context.InitRepoPullRequestCtx(ctx, baseRepo, headRepo)
+
 	// The current base and head repositories and branches may not
 	// actually be the intended branches that the user wants to
 	// create a pull-request from - but also determining the head

routers/web/repo/issue.go

@@ -109,11 +109,6 @@ func MustAllowPulls(ctx *context.Context) {
 		ctx.NotFound(nil)
 		return
 	}
-
-	// User can send pull request if owns a forked repository.
-	if ctx.IsSigned && repo_model.HasForkedRepo(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID) {
-		ctx.Repo.PullRequest.Allowed = true
-	}
 }
 
 func retrieveProjectsInternal(ctx *context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository) (open, closed []*project_model.Project) {

routers/web/repo/setting/setting.go

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/validation"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/web"
+	repo_router "code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/web/repo"
 	actions_service "code.gitea.io/gitea/services/actions"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/context"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/forms"
@@ -88,6 +89,11 @@ func SettingsCtxData(ctx *context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 	ctx.Data["PushMirrors"] = pushMirrors
+
+	repo_router.PrepareBranchList(ctx)
+	if ctx.Written() {
+		return
+	}
 }
 
 // Settings show a repository's settings page
@@ -622,6 +628,7 @@ func handleSettingsPostAdvanced(ctx *context.Context) {
 			DefaultDeleteBranchAfterMerge: form.DefaultDeleteBranchAfterMerge,
 			DefaultMergeStyle:             repo_model.MergeStyle(form.PullsDefaultMergeStyle),
 			DefaultAllowMaintainerEdit:    form.DefaultAllowMaintainerEdit,
+			DefaultTargetBranch:           strings.TrimSpace(form.DefaultTargetBranch),
 		}))
 	} else if !unit_model.TypePullRequests.UnitGlobalDisabled() {
 		deleteUnitTypes = append(deleteUnitTypes, unit_model.TypePullRequests)

services/context/api.go

@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func APIContexter() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			ctx := &APIContext{
 				Base:  base,
 				Cache: cache.GetCache(),
-				Repo:  &Repository{PullRequest: &PullRequest{}},
+				Repo:  &Repository{},
 				Org:   &APIOrganization{},
 			}
 

services/context/context.go

@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func NewWebContext(base *Base, render Render, session session.Store) *Context {
 
 		Cache: cache.GetCache(),
 		Link:  setting.AppSubURL + strings.TrimSuffix(base.Req.URL.EscapedPath(), "/"),
-		Repo:  &Repository{PullRequest: &PullRequest{}},
+		Repo:  &Repository{},
 		Org:   &Organization{},
 	}
 	ctx.TemplateContext = NewTemplateContextForWeb(ctx)