[branch] Fix GitLab error: "you are not allowed to push code to protected branches on this project"?

I have a problem when I push my codes to git while I have developer access in my project, but everything is okay when I have master access. Where is the problem come from? And how to fix it?

Error message:

error: You are not allowed to push code to protected branches on this project.
...
error: failed to push some refs to ...

This is considered as features in Gitlab.

Maintainer / Owner access is never able to force push again for default & protected branch, as stated in this docs

Try making changes as per link

https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/protected_branches.html

make the project unprotected for maintainer or developer for you to commit

I have encountered this error on "an empty branch" on my local gitlab server. Some people mentioned that "you can not push for the first time on an empty branch". I tried to create a simple README file on the gitlab via my browser. Then everything fixed amazingly and the problem sorted out!! I mention that I was the master and the branch was not protected.

I was on Windows when this problem appeared.

The error is strange because it happens before I could enter my username and my password. What if there was a cache or something like this? I dig it online and found this answer on gitlab's support forum:

I open "Control Panel => User Accounts => Manage your credentials => Windows Credentials" I found two for https://@github.com and one was the wrong user. I deleted it and on the next "git push" I was reprompted and provided the correct credentials and it worked! Some other notes - this could have happened with any git remote.

In the Windows Credentials, I found two GitLab entries for an old account. I remove both and now it works!

The panel:

for the GitLab Enterprise Edition 9.3.0

By default, master branch is protected so unprotect :)

1-Select you "project"

2-Select "Repository"

3-Select "branches"

4-Select "Project Settings"

5-In "Protected Branches" click to "expand"

6-and after click in "unprotect" button

The above solutions explain clearly what the problem is; when you don't have control over the repo, the best way to submit your code is to create a Fork of the original repo and submit your code to this new repo so later you can push it to the original one.

Simple solution for this problem to have quick chat with person who has owner role in gitlab. He can push one file READ.md or similar to just start with. Later, everything will be working as earlier.

I experienced the same problem on my repository. I'm the master of the repository, but I had such an error.

I've unprotected my project and then re-protected again, and the error is gone.

We had upgraded the gitlab version between my previous push and the problematic one. I suppose that this upgrade has created the bug.