---
title: Automating Dependabot with GitHub Actions
intro: 'Examples of how you can use {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to automate common {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} related tasks.'
permissions: 'People with write permissions to a repository can configure {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to respond to {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %}-created pull requests.'
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghec: '*'
  ghes: '*'
type: how_to
topics:
  - Actions
  - Dependabot
  - Version updates
  - Security updates
  - Repositories
  - Dependencies
  - Pull requests
shortTitle: Use Dependabot with Actions
redirect_from:
  - /code-security/supply-chain-security/keeping-your-dependencies-updated-automatically/automating-dependabot-with-github-actions
---

{% data reusables.dependabot.enterprise-enable-dependabot %}

## About {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}

{% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} creates pull requests to keep your dependencies up to date, and you can use {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to perform automated tasks when these pull requests are created. For example, fetch additional artifacts, add labels, run tests, or otherwise modifying the pull request.

{% ifversion dependabot-on-actions-opt-in %}
>[!NOTE] This article explains how to automate {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %}-related tasks using {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}. For more information about running {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot_updates %} on {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}, see "[AUTOTITLE](/code-security/dependabot/working-with-dependabot/about-dependabot-on-github-actions-runners)" instead.
{% endif %}

## Responding to events

{% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} is able to trigger {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflows on its pull requests and comments; however, certain events are treated differently.

For workflows initiated by {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} (`github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'`) using the `pull_request`, `pull_request_review`, `pull_request_review_comment`, `push`, `create`, `deployment`, and `deployment_status` events, the following restrictions apply:

* `GITHUB_TOKEN` has read-only permissions by default.
* Secrets are populated from {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secrets. {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} secrets are not available.

For workflows initiated by {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} (`github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'`) using the `pull_request_target` event, if the base ref of the pull request was created by {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} (`github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'`), the `GITHUB_TOKEN` will be read-only and secrets are not available.

{% ifversion actions-stable-actor-ids %}These restrictions apply even if the workflow is re-run by a different actor.{% endif %}

For more information, see "[Keeping your GitHub Actions and workflows secure: Preventing pwn requests](https://securitylab.github.com/research/github-actions-preventing-pwn-requests/)."

### Changing `GITHUB_TOKEN` permissions

By default, {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflows triggered by {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} get a `GITHUB_TOKEN` with read-only permissions. You can use the `permissions` key in your workflow to increase the access for the token:

{% raw %}

```yaml
name: CI
on: pull_request

# Set the access for individual scopes, or use permissions: write-all
permissions:
  pull-requests: write
  issues: write
  repository-projects: write
  ...

jobs:
  ...
```

{% endraw %}

For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/security-guides/automatic-token-authentication#modifying-the-permissions-for-the-github_token)."

### Accessing secrets

When a {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} event triggers a workflow, the only secrets available to the workflow are {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secrets. {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} secrets are not available. Consequently, you must store any secrets that are used by a workflow triggered by {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} events as {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secrets. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/code-security/dependabot/working-with-dependabot/configuring-access-to-private-registries-for-dependabot#storing-credentials-for-dependabot-to-use)."

{% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secrets are added to the `secrets` context and referenced using exactly the same syntax as secrets for {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/security-guides/encrypted-secrets#using-encrypted-secrets-in-a-workflow)."

If you have a workflow that will be triggered by {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} and also by other actors, the simplest solution is to store the token with the permissions required in an action and in a {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secret with identical names. Then the workflow can include a single call to these secrets. If the secret for {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} has a different name, use conditions to specify the correct secrets for different actors to use. For examples that use conditions, see "[Common automations](#common-dependabot-automations)" below.

To access a private container registry on AWS with a user name and password, a workflow must include a secret for `username` and `password`. In the example below, when {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} triggers the workflow, the {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secrets with the names `READONLY_AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID` and `READONLY_AWS_ACCESS_KEY` are used. If another actor triggers the workflow, the actions secrets with those names are used.

```yaml
name: CI
on:
  pull_request:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout repository
        uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}

      - name: Login to private container registry for dependencies
        uses: docker/login-action@v2
        with:
          registry: https://1234567890.dkr.ecr.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
          username: {% raw %}${{ secrets.READONLY_AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}{% endraw %}
          password: {% raw %}${{ secrets.READONLY_AWS_ACCESS_KEY }}{% endraw %}

      - name: Build the Docker image
        run: docker build . --file Dockerfile --tag my-image-name:$(date +%s)
```

### Manually re-running a workflow

{% ifversion actions-stable-actor-ids %}

When you manually re-run a Dependabot workflow, it will run with the same privileges as before even if the user who initiated the rerun has different privileges. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/managing-workflow-runs/re-running-workflows-and-jobs)."

{% else %}

You can also manually re-run a failed Dependabot workflow, and it will run with a read-write token and access to secrets. Before manually re-running a failed workflow, you should always check the dependency being updated to ensure that the change doesn't introduce any malicious or unintended behavior.

{% endif %}

## Common Dependabot automations

Here are several common scenarios that can be automated using {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}.

### Fetch metadata about a pull request

A large amount of automation requires knowing information about the contents of the pull request: what the dependency name was, if it's a production dependency, and if it's a major, minor, or patch update.

The `dependabot/fetch-metadata` action provides all that information for you:

{% raw %}

```yaml
name: Dependabot fetch metadata
on: pull_request

permissions:
  pull-requests: write
  issues: write
  repository-projects: write

jobs:
  dependabot:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    if: github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'
    steps:
      - name: Dependabot metadata
        id: metadata
        uses: dependabot/fetch-metadata@v2
        with:
          github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
      # The following properties are now available:
      #  - steps.metadata.outputs.dependency-names
      #  - steps.metadata.outputs.dependency-type
      #  - steps.metadata.outputs.update-type
```

{% endraw %}

For more information, see the [`dependabot/fetch-metadata`](https://github.com/dependabot/fetch-metadata) repository.

### Label a pull request

If you have other automation or triage workflows based on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} labels, you can configure an action to assign labels based on the metadata provided.

For example, if you want to flag all production dependency updates with a label:

{% raw %}

```yaml
name: Dependabot auto-label
on: pull_request

permissions:
  pull-requests: write
  issues: write
  repository-projects: write

jobs:
  dependabot:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    if: github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'
    steps:
      - name: Dependabot metadata
        id: metadata
        uses: dependabot/fetch-metadata@v2
        with:
          github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
      - name: Add a label for all production dependencies
        if: steps.metadata.outputs.dependency-type == 'direct:production'
        run: gh pr edit "$PR_URL" --add-label "production"
        env:
          PR_URL: ${{github.event.pull_request.html_url}}
```

{% endraw %}

### Approve a pull request

If you want to automatically approve Dependabot pull requests, you can use the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} in a workflow:

{% raw %}

```yaml
name: Dependabot auto-approve
on: pull_request

permissions:
  pull-requests: write

jobs:
  dependabot:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    if: github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'
    steps:
      - name: Dependabot metadata
        id: metadata
        uses: dependabot/fetch-metadata@v2
        with:
          github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
      - name: Approve a PR
        run: gh pr review --approve "$PR_URL"
        env:
          PR_URL: ${{github.event.pull_request.html_url}}
          GH_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
```

{% endraw %}

### Enable auto-merge on a pull request

If you want to allow maintainers to mark certain pull requests for auto-merge, you can use {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}'s auto-merge functionality. This enables the pull request to be merged when any tests and approvals required by the branch protection rules are successfully met. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/pull-requests/collaborating-with-pull-requests/incorporating-changes-from-a-pull-request/automatically-merging-a-pull-request)" and "[AUTOTITLE](/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-protected-branches/managing-a-branch-protection-rule)."

{% ifversion repo-rules %}As an alternative to branch protection rules, you can create rulesets. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-rulesets/about-rulesets)."{% endif %}

{% note %}

**Note:** If you use status checks to test pull requests, you should enable **Require status checks to pass before merging** for the target branch for {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} pull requests. This branch protection rule ensures that pull requests are not merged unless all the required status checks pass. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-protected-branches/managing-a-branch-protection-rule)."

{% endnote %}

You can instead use {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} and the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %}. Here is an example that auto merges all patch updates to `my-dependency`:

{% raw %}

```yaml
name: Dependabot auto-merge
on: pull_request

permissions:
  contents: write
  pull-requests: write

jobs:
  dependabot:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    if: github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'
    steps:
      - name: Dependabot metadata
        id: metadata
        uses: dependabot/fetch-metadata@v2
        with:
          github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
      - name: Enable auto-merge for Dependabot PRs
        if: contains(steps.metadata.outputs.dependency-names, 'my-dependency') && steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-patch'
        run: gh pr merge --auto --merge "$PR_URL"
        env:
          PR_URL: ${{github.event.pull_request.html_url}}
          GH_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
```

{% endraw %}

## Troubleshooting failed workflow runs

If your workflow run fails, check the following:

* You are running the workflow only when the correct actor triggers it.
* You are checking out the correct `ref` for your `pull_request`.
* Your secrets are available in {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} secrets rather than as {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} secrets.
* You have a `GITHUB_TOKEN` with the correct permissions.

For information on writing and debugging {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/learn-github-actions)."