Docs new index for project's settings

8 files changed, 80 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/doc/README.md b/doc/README.md
index b3e7c9bd0bf..0d82a09d1f4 100644
--- a/doc/README.md
+++ b/doc/README.md
@@ -68,17 +68,18 @@ Shortcuts to GitLab's most visited docs:
 
 Manage your [repositories](user/project/repository/index.md) from the UI (user interface):
 
-- Files
+- [Files](user/project/repository/index.md#files)
   - [Create a file](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#create-a-file)
   - [Upload a file](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#upload-a-file)
   - [File templates](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#template-dropdowns)
   - [Create a directory](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#create-a-directory)
   - [Start a merge request](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#tips) (when committing via UI)
-- Branches
+- [Branches](user/project/repository/branches/index.md)
+  - [Default branch](user/project/repository/branches/index.md#default-branch)
   - [Create a branch](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#create-a-new-branch)
   - [Protected branches](user/project/protected_branches.md#protected-branches)
   - [Delete merged branches](user/project/repository/branches/index.md#delete-merged-branches)
-- Commits
+- [Commits](user/project/repository/index.md#commits)
   - [Signing commits](user/project/repository/gpg_signed_commits/index.md): use GPG to sign your commits.
 
 ### Issues and Merge Requests (MRs)
diff --git a/doc/user/project/index.md b/doc/user/project/index.md
index d6b3d59d407..a56b3744480 100644
--- a/doc/user/project/index.md
+++ b/doc/user/project/index.md
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ When you create a project in GitLab, you'll have access to a large number of
   - [Multiple Issue Boards](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/issue_board.html#multiple-issue-boards) (**EES/EEP**): Allow your teams to create their own workflows (Issue Boards) for the same project
 - [Repositories](repository/index.md): Host your code in a fully
 integrated platform
+  - [Branches](repository/branches/index.md): use Git branching strategies to
+  collaborate on code
   - [Protected branches](protected_branches.md): Prevent collaborators
   from messing with history or pushing code without review
   - [Protected tags](protected_tags.md): Control over who has
diff --git a/doc/user/project/repository/branches/index.md b/doc/user/project/repository/branches/index.md
index 1948627ee79..e1d3aebb8b3 100644
--- a/doc/user/project/repository/branches/index.md
+++ b/doc/user/project/repository/branches/index.md
@@ -1,5 +1,32 @@
 # Branches
 
+Read through GiLab's branching documentation:
+
+- [Create a branch](../web_editor.md#create-a-new-branch)
+- [Default branch](#default-branch)
+- [Protected branches](../../protected_branches.md#protected-branches)
+- [Delete merged branches](#delete-merged-branches)
+
+See also:
+
+- [GitLab Flow](../../../../university/training/gitlab_flow.md#gitlab-flow): use the best of GitLab for your branching strategies
+- [Getting started with Git](../../../../topics/git/index.md) and GitLab
+
+## Default branch
+
+When you create a new [project](../../index.md), GitLab sets `master` as the default
+branch for your project. You can choose another branch to be your project's
+default under your project's **Settings > General**.
+
+The default branch is the branched affected by the
+[issue closing pattern](../../issues/automatic_issue_closing.md),
+which means that _an issue will be closed when a merge request is merged to
+the **default branch**_.
+
+The default branch is also protected against accidental deletion. Read through
+the documentation on [protected branches](../../protected_branches.md#protected-branches)
+to learn more.
+
 ## Delete merged branches
 
 > [Introduced][ce-6449] in GitLab 8.14.
diff --git a/doc/user/project/repository/index.md b/doc/user/project/repository/index.md
index 235af83353d..9501db88f57 100644
--- a/doc/user/project/repository/index.md
+++ b/doc/user/project/repository/index.md
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Use GitLab's [file finder](../../../workflow/file_finder.md) to search for files
 
 ## Branches
 
-When you submit changes in a new branch, you create a new version
+When you submit changes in a new [branch](branches/index.md), you create a new version
 of that project's file tree. Your branch contains all the changes
 you are presenting, which are detected by Git line by line.
 
@@ -70,8 +70,9 @@ With [GitLab Enterprise Edition](https://about.gitlab.com/gitlab-ee/)
 subscriptions, you can also request
 [approval](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/merge_requests/merge_request_approvals.html#merge-request-approvals) from your managers.
 
-To create, delete, and branches via GitLab's UI:
+To create, delete, and [branches](branches/index.md) via GitLab's UI:
 
+- [Default branches](branches/index.md#default-branch)
 - [Create a branch](web_editor.md#create-a-new-branch)
 - [Protected branches](../protected_branches.md#protected-branches)
 - [Delete merged branches](branches/index.md#delete-merged-branches)
diff --git a/doc/user/project/settings/img/general_settings.png b/doc/user/project/settings/img/general_settings.png
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..96f5b84871f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/user/project/settings/img/general_settings.png
diff --git a/doc/user/project/settings/img/merge_requests_settings.png b/doc/user/project/settings/img/merge_requests_settings.png
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..b1f2dfa7376
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/user/project/settings/img/merge_requests_settings.png
diff --git a/doc/user/project/settings/img/sharing_and_permissions_settings.png b/doc/user/project/settings/img/sharing_and_permissions_settings.png
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..7767a3d7187
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/user/project/settings/img/sharing_and_permissions_settings.png
diff --git a/doc/user/project/settings/index.md b/doc/user/project/settings/index.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cd73c0687d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/user/project/settings/index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Project settings
+
+You can adjust your [project](../index.md) settings by navigating
+to your project's homepage and clicking **Settings**.
+
+## General settings
+
+Adjust your project's path and name, description, avatar, [default branch](../repository/branches/index.md#default-branches), and tags:
+
+![general project settings](img/general_settings.png)
+
+### Sharing and permissions
+
+Set up your project's access, [visibility](../../../public_access/public_access.md), and enable [Container Registry](../container_registry.md) for your projects:
+
+![projects sharing permissions](img/sharing_and_permissions_settings.png)
+
+### Issue settings
+
+Add an [issue description template](../description_templates.md#description-templates) to your project, so that every new issue will start with a custom template.
+
+### Merge request settings
+
+Set up your project's merge request settings:
+
+- Set up the merge request method (merge commit, [fast-forward merge](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/merge_requests/fast_forward_merge.html#fast-forward-merge-requests)). Fast-forward is available in [GitLab Enterprise Edition Starter](https://about.gitlab.com/gitlab-ee/).
+- Merge request [description templates](../description_templates.md#description-templates)
+- Enable [merge request approvals](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/merge_requests/merge_request_approvals.html#merge-request-approvals), available in [GitLab Enterprise Edition Starter](https://about.gitlab.com/gitlab-ee/).
+- Enable [merge only of pipeline succeeds](../merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds.md)
+- Enable [merge only when all discussions are resolved](../../discussions/index.md#only-allow-merge-requests-to-be-merged-if-all-discussions-are-resolved)
+
+![project's merge request settings](img/merge_requests_settings.png)
+
+### Service Desk
+
+Enable [Service Desk](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/service_desk.html) for your project to offer customer support. Service Desk is available in [GitLab Enterprise Edition Premium](https://about.gitlab.com/gitlab-ee/).
+
+### Export project
+
+Learn how to [export a project](import_export.md#importing-the-project) in GitLab.
+
+### Advanced settings
+
+Here you can run housekeeping, archive, rename, transfer, or remove a project.