Dependabot Remediation Skill

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when a repository has open Dependabot security alerts and you need a deterministic remediation flow with clear evidence and rollback paths.

Use it for:

• Python backend remediation waves (for example uv + pyproject.toml repos).
• JavaScript/TypeScript frontend remediation waves (npm, yarn, or pnpm).
• Mixed remediation periods where backend and frontend flows must stay explicit and separate.

Modes

• backend <triage|execute-wave <N>|release>:
  • triage: Review/create dependabot.yml, then build backend alert inventory and wave plan.
  • execute-wave <N>: Execute one backend wave with strict gates.
  • release: Validate closure and prepare backend remediation release summary.
• frontend <triage|execute|release>:
  • triage: Review/create dependabot.yml, then build frontend PR/alert triage matrix.
  • execute: Execute frontend close/recreate/merge/manual flow.
  • release: Create frontend release summary for remediation changes.

Shared Invariants

1. Query live GitHub Dependabot alerts before proposing changes.
2. Do not claim remediation success until post-merge alert re-check passes.
3. Keep wave boundaries atomic and reversible.
4. Report blockers explicitly with severity tags.
5. If checks were not run, state that explicitly.

Severity tags:

• [BLOCKING] cannot proceed safely
• [SHOULD_FIX] high-value correction before merge
• [NIT] optional improvement

Shared Baseline

Before backend or frontend execution:

git status -sb
git branch --show-current
gh auth status

If GitHub auth is missing or token lacks alert permissions, stop with [BLOCKING].

Dependabot Config Gate (runs during triage)

Before backend/frontend alert triage, validate repository configuration:

1. Detect repo + default branch via gh repo view.
2. Check .github/dependabot.yml:
   • If missing: propose minimal config using references/dependabot-yml-minimal-template.md.
   • If --write-config is set: create .github/dependabot.yml.
3. If present: review with references/dependabot-yml-review-checklist.md.
4. Surface [BLOCKING] config gaps that invalidate remediation claims.

If --config-only is set, stop after config create/review + CI policy advice.

Backend Workflow

1. Triage (backend triage)

Goal: produce deduplicated advisory inventory plus executable waves.

Required workflow:

1. Run Dependabot config gate (review existing config or scaffold minimal config).
2. Fetch all open Dependabot alerts with pagination.
3. Filter to backend scope (backend ecosystems and/or backend manifest paths).
4. Deduplicate by package + GHSA + first_patched_version.
5. Classify each advisory as direct vs transitive.
6. Trace transitive root constraints before proposing targets.
7. Validate proposed upgrades via resolver checks before finalizing waves.

Primary references:

• references/backend-github-dependabot-cli.md
• references/backend-wave-plan-template.md
• references/dependabot-yml-minimal-template.md
• references/dependabot-yml-review-checklist.md
• references/dependency-review-ci-policy-template.md

2. Execute One Wave (backend execute-wave <N>)

Execution rules:

• Only execute the requested wave.
• Do not silently include packages from other waves.
• Keep lock/export artifacts consistent with repository policy.

Backend validation gates must include:

• Lock consistency (uv lock --check or repo equivalent)
• Lint gates (repo wrappers if present)
• Active Python type gate with precedence:
  • ty first
  • pyright second
  • mypy third
• Targeted tests for touched dependency surfaces

If ty is configured ([tool.ty], ty.toml, .bin/ty, or CI usage), treat it as mandatory and blocking.

3. Release / Closeout (backend release)

After waves merge:

1. Re-query open Dependabot alerts and re-apply backend scope filter.
2. Report residual backend advisories by severity/package.
3. Summarize merged wave PRs and validation status.
4. Provide additional-wave plan for any residual backend alerts.

Frontend Workflow

1. Triage (frontend triage)

Goal: classify open bot PRs and alerts into actionable lanes. Always scope PR inventory to the frontend base branch (auto-detect from gh repo view ... defaultBranchRef unless overridden) so backend Dependabot PRs are not mixed into the matrix.

Required workflow:

1. Run Dependabot config gate (review existing config or scaffold minimal config).
2. Build PR and alert inventory scoped to frontend base branch.
3. Classify each PR as actionable, obsolete, or stale-but-recreate.
4. Identify alert gaps with no PR coverage and mark manual remediation candidates.

Classification classes:

• actionable
• obsolete
• stale-but-recreate

References:

• references/frontend-triage-matrix.md
• references/dependabot-yml-minimal-template.md
• references/dependabot-yml-review-checklist.md
• references/dependency-review-ci-policy-template.md

2. Execute (frontend execute)

Execution policy:

1. Close obsolete PRs with explicit rationale comments.
2. Recreate stale-but-relevant PRs using @dependabot recreate.
3. Merge actionable PRs in security-first order once checks pass.
4. If alerts remain without bot PR coverage, run manual remediation branch flow.
5. Re-check open alerts and report residual risk.

References:

• references/frontend-triage-matrix.md
• references/frontend-manual-remediation-playbook.md

3. Release (frontend release)

Generate remediation release summary for integration branch -> production branch:

• Included remediation PRs
• Diff scope and validation context
• Alert status at release-cut time

Reference:

• references/frontend-release-pr-template.md

Output Shape

Backend Modes Output

Always return:

1. Current State
2. Dependabot Config Status (existing/reviewed or created/proposed)
3. Backend Scope Filter (ecosystem/path rules used)
4. Deduplicated Alert Inventory
5. Root-Cause Dependency Paths
6. Proposed Waves or Wave Execution Summary
7. Validation Gates
8. Risks and Rollback
9. Next Actions

Frontend Modes Output

Always return:

1. Inventory
2. Dependabot Config Status (existing/reviewed or created/proposed)
3. Triage Matrix
4. Execution Summary
5. Risk Snapshot
6. Next Actions

Guardrails

• Never merge backend and frontend remediation into the same wave branch unless explicitly requested.
• Never force push remediation branches unless explicitly requested.
• Never include unrelated file changes in manual remediation PRs.
• Never close high/medium alert PR coverage without replacement path.
• Never claim sustainable remediation unless dependabot.yml is reviewed or created.