# Branch FAQ

*Branch analysis is available starting in* [*Developer Edition*](https://www.sonarsource.com/plans-and-pricing/developer/)*.*

## How long are branches retained? <a href="#branches-retained" id="branches-retained"></a>

Branches will be deleted automatically when they are inactive according to your settings at **Administration** > **Configuration** > **General Settings** > **Housekeeping** > **Number of days** before deleting inactive branches except for branches you have set to be kept when inactive. These branches are kept until you delete them manually at the project level at **Project Settings > Branches and Pull Requests**. See [branch-analysis](https://docs.sonarsource.com/sonarqube-server/8.9/analyzing-source-code/branches/branch-analysis "mention") for more information on keeping inactive branches.

## Does my project need to be stored in an SCM like Git or SVN? <a href="#scm" id="scm"></a>

No, you don’t need to be connected to an SCM. However, SCM data still enhances the SonarQube experience (including issue auto-assignment and issue backdating), and you will be well prepared to take advantage of [pull-request-analysis](https://docs.sonarsource.com/sonarqube-server/8.9/analyzing-source-code/pull-request-analysis "mention")!

## What if I mark an issue "Won’t Fix" or "False-Positive" in a branch? <a href="#false-positive" id="false-positive"></a>

If you have configured the **Reference Branch** [defining-new-code](https://docs.sonarsource.com/sonarqube-server/8.9/project-administration/defining-new-code "mention") for a branch, issues in the reference branch automatically inherit their attributes from this original branch (including **Won’t Fix** and **False Positive** resolutions) after merge.

## Can I manually delete a branch? <a href="#delete-branch" id="delete-branch"></a>

You can delete a branch in the **Branches** tab at **Project Settings** > **Branches and Pull Requests**.

## Does the payload of the Webhook include branch information? <a href="#webhook-branch" id="webhook-branch"></a>

Yes, an extra node called `branch` is added to the payload.

## When are Webhooks called? <a href="#webhooks" id="webhooks"></a>

When the computation of the background task is done for a given branch.

## What is the impact on my LOCs consumption vs my license? <a href="#loc" id="loc"></a>

The LOC of your largest branch is counted toward your license limit. All other branches are ignored.