Turn Dependabot Off

TechStrider

21 Feb 2026 — 1 min read

The Case Against Dependabot: Is it Time to Turn it Off?

As developers, we're constantly looking for ways to streamline our workflow and reduce the administrative burden of maintaining our projects. One tool that's gained popularity in recent years is Dependabot, a automated dependency management tool that helps keep your project's dependencies up to date. However, a recent article by Filippo.io argues that it may be time to reconsider our reliance on Dependabot. In this post, we'll explore the reasons behind this suggestion and what it means for your project.

Why this matters

Dependabot is designed to automatically update your project's dependencies to the latest version, which can help prevent vulnerabilities and ensure compatibility with the latest libraries and frameworks. However, as Filippo.io points out, this approach can also lead to unexpected breakages and incompatibilities. When Dependabot updates a dependency without your knowledge or consent, it can cause issues with your project that may not be immediately apparent.

The Risks of Automated Dependency Management

Some of the risks associated with automated dependency management include:

Unintended consequences: Updates can introduce new bugs or break existing functionality.
Incompatibilities: Updated dependencies may not be compatible with other dependencies or libraries in your project.
Loss of control: By automating dependency management, you may lose control over the updates and changes made to your project.

How to Manage Dependencies Manually

So, what's the alternative to Dependabot? Filippo.io suggests managing dependencies manually, which can be time-consuming but provides more control over the update process. Here's an example of how you can update a dependency manually using npm:

npm install <dependency-name>@latest

This approach requires more effort, but it allows you to test and verify the updates before they're pushed to production.

Verdict

Who is this for? If you're a developer who values control over your project's dependencies and is willing to invest the time and effort into manual updates, then turning off Dependabot may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you're working on a large project with many dependencies and limited resources, automated dependency management may still be the best option.

What's your experience with Dependabot? Have you encountered any issues with automated dependency management, or do you prefer to manage your dependencies manually? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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