What is the purpose of GitHub's 'base permissions' setting for an organization?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation and Infographic
Base permissions are the org-wide floor for repository access. Set it to 'Read' and every member can read every repo by default. Set it to 'None' and repos are private until explicitly shared. It's the baseline everyone starts from.
Full explanation below image
Full Explanation
Organization base permissions define the default access level that ALL organization members have to ALL repositories in the organization, regardless of their specific team memberships. Options are: None (members must be explicitly granted access), Read (members can clone and pull all repos), Write (members can push to all repos — typically too permissive), Admin (all members have admin on all repos — rarely appropriate). Base permissions serve as the floor — specific team or collaborator permissions can be higher but not lower. For organizations prioritizing security, 'None' or 'Read' are typical choices. 'Read' is often appropriate for open teams that want to share code broadly. 'None' is best when repositories contain sensitive code with strict access requirements.