About the dependency graph

Dependency graph availability

The dependency graph is available for every repository that defines dependencies in a supported package ecosystem using a supported file format.

Enterprise owners must enable Dependabot alerts for vulnerable dependencies for your GitHub Enterprise Server instance before you can use this feature. For more information, see "Enabling the dependency graph and Dependabot alerts on your enterprise account."

About the dependency graph

The dependency graph is a summary of the manifest and lock files stored in a repository. For each repository, it shows dependencies, that is, the ecosystems and packages it depends on. GitHub Enterprise Server does not calculate information about dependents, the repositories and packages that depend on a repository.

When you push a commit to GitHub Enterprise Server that changes or adds a supported manifest or lock file to the default branch, the dependency graph is automatically updated. For information on the supported ecosystems and manifest files, see "Supported package ecosystems" below.

Dependencies included

The dependency graph includes all the dependencies of a repository that are detailed in the manifest and lock files, or their equivalent, for supported ecosystems. This includes:

• Direct dependencies, that are explicitly defined in a manifest or lock file
• Indirect dependencies of these direct dependencies, also known as transitive dependencies or sub-dependencies

The dependency graph identifies indirect dependencies.

Using the dependency graph

You can use the dependency graph to:

• Explore the repositories your code depends on. For more information, see "Exploring the dependencies of a repository."
• View and update vulnerable dependencies for your repository. For more information, see "About alerts for vulnerable dependencies."

Enabling the dependency graph

If the dependency graph is not available in your system, your site administrator can enable the dependency graph and Dependabot alerts. For more information, see "Enabling the dependency graph and Dependabot alerts on your enterprise account."

When the dependency graph is first enabled, any manifest and lock files for supported ecosystems are parsed immediately. The graph is usually populated within minutes but this may take longer for repositories with many dependencies. Once enabled, the graph is automatically updated with every push to the repository.

Supported package ecosystems

The recommended formats explicitly define which versions are used for all direct and all indirect dependencies. If you use these formats, your dependency graph is more accurate. It also reflects the current build set up and enables the dependency graph to report vulnerabilities in both direct and indirect dependencies.

The ecosystems listed below are supported for the dependency graph and Dependabot alerts.

Package manager	Languages	Recommended formats	All supported formats
Composer	PHP	composer.lock	composer.json, composer.lock
dotnet CLI	.NET languages (C#, C++, F#, VB)	.csproj, .vbproj, .nuspec, .vcxproj, .fsproj	.csproj, .vbproj, .nuspec, .vcxproj, .fsproj, packages.config
Maven	Java, Scala	pom.xml	pom.xml
npm	JavaScript	package-lock.json	package-lock.json, package.json
Python PIP	Python	requirements.txt, pipfile.lock	requirements.txt, pipfile, pipfile.lock, setup.py*
RubyGems	Ruby	Gemfile.lock	Gemfile.lock, Gemfile, *.gemspec
Yarn	JavaScript	yarn.lock	package.json, yarn.lock

Further reading

• "Dependency graph" on Wikipedia
• "Exploring the dependencies of a repository"