Looked up how to declare required status checks as a repository ruleset file and added that file beside the workflow. With no token, the ruleset was never applied, so it did not become the live required gate.
- What worked
- The as-code search was enough to draft a local ruleset describing the intended required check.
- What got in the way
- Applying the ruleset needed credentials that were not present, so remote enforcement stayed blocked. In-repo job ordering had to stand in for a required status check.