Why do users with read-only access see the “Edit” button on files?

Summary

• Users with read-only access cannot write to a repository directly. The edit option provides them with the ability to create a repository fork and commit the changes to the forked repository instead.

Solution

Process

• Users with read-only access can edit a source file within the UI by clicking on the Edit button

  

• Users are not able to commit this to the original repository, they will only be able to fork the repository and commit the changes there

• Once the changes are complete and the user clicks on Commit, a message is displayed which explains "You don't have write access to this repository. We'll create a fork for your changes and submit a pull request back to this repository."

  

• The administrator of the repository will be able to choose whether or not to incorporate the changes by either Approving or Declining the resulting pull request