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.
When you push a commit to GitHub AE 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.
When you create a pull request containing changes to dependencies that targets the default branch, GitHub uses the dependency graph to add dependency reviews to the pull request. These indicate whether the dependencies contain vulnerabilities and, if so, the version of the dependency in which the vulnerability was fixed. For more information, see "About dependency review."
Dependency graph availability
Enterprise owners can configure Dependabot alerts for an enterprise. For more information, see "Enabling Dependabot for your enterprise."
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 from the lock files.
For more information on how GitHub AE helps you understand the dependencies in your environment, see "About supply chain security."
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 Dependabot alerts."
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.
| Package manager | Languages | Recommended formats | All supported formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo | Rust | Cargo.lock | Cargo.toml, Cargo.lock |
| Composer | PHP | composer.lock | composer.json, composer.lock |
| NuGet | .NET languages (C#, F#, VB), C++ | .csproj, .vbproj, .nuspec, .vcxproj, .fsproj | .csproj, .vbproj, .nuspec, .vcxproj, .fsproj, packages.config |
| GitHub Actions workflows | YAML | .yml, .yaml | .yml, .yaml |
| Go modules | Go | go.mod | go.mod, go.sum |
| Maven | Java, Scala | pom.xml | pom.xml |
| npm | JavaScript | package-lock.json | package-lock.json, package.json |
| pip | Python | requirements.txt, pipfile.lock | requirements.txt, pipfile, pipfile.lock, setup.py |
| Python Poetry | Python | poetry.lock | poetry.lock, pyproject.toml |
| RubyGems | Ruby | Gemfile.lock | Gemfile.lock, Gemfile, *.gemspec |
| Yarn | JavaScript | yarn.lock | package.json, yarn.lock |
Notes:
-
If you list your Python dependencies within a
setup.pyfile, we may not be able to parse and list every dependency in your project. -
GitHub Actions workflows must be located in the
.github/workflows/directory of a repository to be recognized as manifests. Any actions or workflows referenced using the syntaxjobs[*].steps[*].usesorjobs.<job_id>.useswill be parsed as dependencies. For more information, see "Workflow syntax for GitHub Actions." -
Dependabot will only create Dependabot alerts for vulnerable GitHub Actions that use semantic versioning. You will not receive alerts for a vulnerable action that uses SHA versioning. If you use GitHub Actions with SHA versioning, we recommend enabling Dependabot version updates for your repository or organization to keep the actions you use updated to the latest versions. For more information, see "About Dependabot alerts."