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dependabot-config-generator skill

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This skill generates a complete Dependabot configuration for GitHub projects, enabling automated dependency updates across npm, actions, and other supported

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Files (2)

SKILL.md

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---
name: dependabot-config-generator
description: Generate Dependabot configuration for GitHub automated dependency updates. Triggers on "create dependabot config", "generate dependabot configuration", "dependabot setup", "github dependency updates".
---

# Dependabot Config Generator

Generate GitHub Dependabot configuration for automated dependency updates.

## Output Requirements

**File Output:** `.github/dependabot.yml`
**Format:** Valid Dependabot YAML configuration
**Standards:** GitHub Dependabot v2

## When Invoked

Immediately generate a complete Dependabot configuration for the project.

## Example Invocations

**Prompt:** "Create dependabot config for npm and GitHub Actions"
**Output:** Complete `.github/dependabot.yml` with npm and actions updates.

Overview

This skill generates a ready-to-use GitHub Dependabot configuration file (.github/dependabot.yml) for automated dependency updates. It targets Dependabot v2 YAML format and produces configuration tailored to the project's package ecosystems and update cadence. The output is a complete, valid YAML file ready to commit to the repository.

How this skill works

When triggered, the skill inspects the prompt and project context to determine relevant ecosystems (for example npm, GitHub Actions, Maven, or Python). It builds a Dependabot v2 YAML that defines update schedules, package-ecosystem entries, directory paths, and optional settings like open-pull-request limits, ignored updates, and security-only mode. The skill returns the full file content for immediate use.

When to use it

Setting up automated dependency updates for a new or existing GitHub repository.
Creating Dependabot updates for multiple ecosystems (npm + GitHub Actions, Maven, etc.).
Standardizing update cadence and rules across teams or monorepos.
Adding ignored updates, versioning rules, or custom registries to Dependabot.
Quickly generating a valid .github/dependabot.yml file to commit.

Best practices

Specify each package-ecosystem and directory explicitly for monorepos to avoid missing packages.
Use sensible schedules (daily/weekly) and an open-pull-request-limit to avoid overload.
Enable security-only updates where you want only vulnerability fixes applied automatically.
Include ignored updates or versioning rules for packages that require manual handling.
Validate the generated YAML with GitHub or a YAML linter before committing.

Example use cases

Generate .github/dependabot.yml for npm packages and GitHub Actions updates with weekly schedule.
Create a multi-directory config for a monorepo containing frontend (npm) and backend (Maven) packages.
Produce a security-only configuration to limit Dependabot to vulnerability patches.
Add custom registries and authentication tokens for private packages in the generated file.

FAQ

Which file does this skill produce?

It generates the .github/dependabot.yml file formatted for Dependabot v2.

Can it handle monorepos and multiple ecosystems?

Yes — the skill can include multiple package-ecosystem entries and separate directories per entry.