A way to restrict Git branch access?

Solution 1:

When using GitHub, your best option would be for each developer to have their own fork of the master repository. Everybody pushes to their own repository and somebody with push access to the master repository handles pulling from each developer's repository. This is how most open source projects work.

If using your own Git server, it should be possible to use hooks to prevent users from pushing to wrong branches.

Solution 2:

GitHub added the functionality to restrict which users can push to a branch for Organizations earlier this year.

Solution 3:

Note: Protected branches and required status checks (September 3, 2015) won't exactly allow a single branch ("[person's name]-development"), but it getting clone.

The branch will be protected:

• against forced pushed
• against deletion
• against merged changes until required status checks pass

Solution 4:

You might want to check out GitLab and its "protected branch" feature. I think it's pretty much exactly what you are looking for. See Keeping your code protected.