Release 0.5.0 · Three installation routes

Get to your first review without guessing where code runs.

ReviewSensei is free, open-source software. Inference, GitHub Actions minutes, and self-hosted runner capacity are yours to provision. Pick a route, understand the control matrix, and know what writes are enabled before you merge.

App installation alone does not run reviews. The GitHub App opens a setup pull request with workflows and repository variables. You still choose a provider, runner, and which write switches to enable.

Operational controls

Control matrix

Setup-v4 exposes nine independent switches. All default to false except automatic approval (REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_APPROVE, default true when publication is enabled).

Capability	Repository variable	Default	When enabled	Observation-only example
Analysis	`REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_REVIEW`	false	Runs provider inference on eligible same-repository pull requests (skips drafts).	Leave `false` and dispatch ReviewSensei review manually, or use CLI `plan` / `doctor`.
Comment publication	`REVIEWSENSEI_GITHUB_WRITES`	false	Publishes validated inline comments and review summaries to GitHub.	Run analysis with writes disabled: provider calls occur; GitHub receives no review body.
Automatic approval / request changes	`REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_APPROVE`	true*	Blocking findings publish as `REQUEST_CHANGES`; eligible clean reviews may receive `APPROVE`. Set `false` for comment-only publication.	Disable with `REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_APPROVE=false` while keeping publication on for comment-only reviews.
Learning proposal generation	`REVIEWSENSEI_LEARNING_PROPOSALS`	false	Model-generated learning proposals are produced during review runs.	Leave disabled; learnings remain ordinary repository files you manage manually.
Learning PR publication	`REVIEWSENSEI_LEARNING_PRS`	false	Opens or refreshes a draft learning pull request on the default branch.	Enable proposals without PR publication to inspect proposal files locally from workflow logs.
Conversations	`REVIEWSENSEI_MENTION_REPLIES`	false	Authorized `@sensei` mentions receive bounded thread replies (requires `REVIEWSENSEI_GITHUB_WRITES=true`).	Leave disabled; mention events are ignored for reply publication.
Artifact retention	`REVIEWSENSEI_UPLOAD_ARTIFACTS`	false	Uploads `review.json` as GitHub Actions artifacts.	Leave disabled; validated results stay inside the job unless you add your own upload step.

*Automatic approval applies only when automatic review and GitHub writes are enabled and all eligibility gates pass.

Installation paths

Three ways to run your first review

Every path lists execution location, provider destination, credential names (never values), cost ownership, enabled writes, expected first-success output, and cleanup steps.

App-assisted GitHub reviews

Install the ReviewSensei GitHub App on selected repositories. The App opens a setup pull request; review execution stays in your GitHub Actions environment.

Execution location: Your repository's GitHub Actions runners — ubuntu-latest (cloud) or labelled self-hosted runner (self-hosted, linux, x64, ollama) for local mode.
Provider destination: http://127.0.0.1:11434/api (local, default) or https://ollama.com/api (cloud, explicit opt-in).
Credential names: OLLAMA_API_KEY (cloud only), REVIEWSENSEI_PROVIDER_MODE, REVIEWSENSEI_LOCAL_MODEL, REVIEWSENSEI_CLOUD_MODEL, REVIEWSENSEI_VERSION.
Compute / inference cost: You pay for Actions minutes (or self-hosted hardware) and your Ollama or Ollama Cloud usage.
Enabled writes (defaults): Setup PR only until merged. Generated variables default all write switches to false.
First-success output: One App-authored review with inline comments on an eligible PR after enabling REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_REVIEW=true and REVIEWSENSEI_GITHUB_WRITES=true.

Setup steps

Install the App on selected repositories.
Merge the generated setup pull request.
Configure provider mode via repository variables. Cloud mode requires OLLAMA_API_KEY as a repository secret.
Enable controls deliberately — analysis first, then publication.

# Install the ReviewSensei GitHub App
https://github.com/apps/reviewsensei

REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_REVIEW=true
REVIEWSENSEI_GITHUB_WRITES=true
REVIEWSENSEI_VERSION=0.5.0

Cleanup / disable / uninstall

Run the generated Remove ReviewSensei setup workflow. Uninstall the App from GitHub settings to stop new setup deliveries.

Manual Actions setup

Copy the supported example workflow without installing the GitHub App. You own the workflow, runner labels, secrets, and every control switch.

Execution location: GitHub Actions on your runner. Local mode requires self-hosted runner labelled ollama.
Provider destination: Local: http://127.0.0.1:11434/api. Cloud: https://ollama.com/api.
Credential names: OLLAMA_API_KEY, REVIEWSENSEI_PROVIDER_MODE, REVIEWSENSEI_VERSION.
Compute / inference cost: Actions minutes or self-hosted capacity plus provider inference.
Enabled writes: Controlled by repository variables; defaults match setup-v4.
First-success output: Validated review.json artifact (if upload enabled) and a review on the PR when publication is enabled.

# examples/github-actions/review-sensei-review.yml
REVIEWSENSEI_PROVIDER_MODE=local
REVIEWSENSEI_VERSION=0.5.0
REVIEWSENSEI_AUTO_REVIEW=false
REVIEWSENSEI_GITHUB_WRITES=false
OLLAMA_API_KEY

pip install review-sensei==0.5.0
review-sensei doctor --json

Cleanup / disable / uninstall

Delete or disable the workflow file and remove repository variables and secrets.

Local CLI

Install the published Python package or npm launcher, prepare a bounded diff, run offline diagnostics, then generate a review artifact.

Execution location: Your workstation. Python 3.11+ or Node.js 22+. External git required for prepare-diff.
Provider destination: Local Ollama at http://127.0.0.1:11434/api by default.
Credential names: OLLAMA_API_KEY, OLLAMA_BASE_URL, REVIEWSENSEI_PROVIDER_MODE, REVIEWSENSEI_LOCAL_MODEL, REVIEWSENSEI_CLOUD_MODEL.
Compute / inference cost: Your machine plus model inference. doctor and plan perform zero provider calls.
Enabled writes: None from CLI alone.
First-success output: review-sensei doctor --json reports status: pass; full review writes review.json.

pip install review-sensei==0.5.0
review-sensei doctor --json

npx --yes @reviewsensei/cli@0.5.0 --version
npx --yes @reviewsensei/cli@0.5.0 prepare-diff \
  --repository . --base-ref main --head-ref feature --output pr.patch

review-sensei prepare-diff --repository . --base-ref main --head-ref feature --output pr.patch
review-sensei plan --diff pr.patch --repository owner/repo --pull-request 42 \
  --base-sha <base> --head-sha <head> --json

review-sensei --diff pr.patch --repository owner/repo --pull-request 42 --output review.json

Cleanup / disable / uninstall

pip uninstall review-sensei and delete local artifacts.

JavaScript is disabled. Expand each path below.

App-assisted GitHub reviews

Install the App, merge setup PR, set REVIEWSENSEI_VERSION=0.5.0.

Manual Actions setup

Copy example workflow; pip install review-sensei==0.5.0.

Local CLI

npx --yes @reviewsensei/cli@0.5.0 or pip install.

Security, providers, and canonical docs

Security

Trust boundaries and data handling.

Security overview →

Providers

Ollama local and cloud adapters.

Provider matrix →

Examples

Portable GitHub Actions workflow.

Workflow examples →

Release info

Version 0.5.0 release notes.

Releases →

Installation guide

Full install and workflow details.

Canonical install docs →

Data handling

What leaves your repository.

Data handling →