> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.obversa.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Where Does a Person Approve the Change?

> Yes passes. A no runs the step that owns the fix again. Silence waits.

As a step in the workflow, where the run stops and waits. `approval` asks
one question through the run's callbacks client. A yes passes the step. A
no runs the step that owns the fix again, with the person's note as the
finding. With nobody answering, the run
pauses with the question pending and carries on, when it runs again with
the same client, from the answer. Resuming the run is not an approval,
and Obversa does not merge the change.

## In Obversa

The question, the step a no goes back to, and the answer:

```ts examples/approval.ts (excerpt) {2-3,8-9} theme={null}
const approve = approval('approve', {
  question: 'Ship this change?',
  target: 'implement',
  answer: (request: CallbackRequest) => {
    const approved = JSON.stringify(request.input).includes('header');
    decisions.push(approved ? 'yes' : 'no');
    return approved
      ? { approved: true }
      : { approved: false, note: 'the ticket asked for a header row' };
  },
});
```

`target` names the step that owns the fix. In a real team the answer
arrives through the callbacks client; this file decides in place so it
runs offline. A stored approval applies only while the bytes it covered
still match; change a byte and the decision waits for a fresh answer.

## Review panel

A panel is models deciding; approval is a person deciding. They sit in the
same workflow, usually in that order. [How many reviewers have to
accept?](/glossary/review-panel) covers the panel.

## Next steps

* [A person decides](/patterns/approval): the pattern with its run.
* [Proof-bound acceptance and approval](/reviewing/proof-acceptance): the byte rule.