Yes. Take the repository address and add /releases.atom, for example https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/releases.atom. The result is an Atom feed of that project's releases, which any feed reader or chat integration can subscribe to. No GitHub account is needed to read it for a public repository.
How it works
We checked this on a large public repository. Requesting its releases.atom address returned a valid Atom document with a feed title of release notes, an updated timestamp and an entry per release, each with a link to the release page, a title and the release text. A tags.atom address responds in the same style for tags.
Public repositories are the easy case. For private repositories you would use the notification settings instead, which we cover in our post on watching a repo for releases and security alerts.
Steps
- Pick the dependency and open its GitHub page.
- Copy the repository address and append /releases.atom.
- Paste the address into a feed reader, or into a chat tool's feed integration.
- Create a folder or channel named for the purpose, for example dependency-releases.
- Review it on a schedule, or give it to the on-call engineer.
Feed or notification
| Method | Good for | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Atom feed | Many public projects in one reader, no account needed | Releases only, no security alerts |
| GitHub watch, Custom | Releases and security alerts on repos you can access | Tied to a personal account and inbox |
| Announce mailing list | Early warning from projects that run one | One list per project |
| Automated SBOM matching | The versions you actually run | Needs an inventory |
Use the feed for breadth. Use scanning for precision.
Reading entries well
A feed entry is a release, not a verdict. Look for the same cues as in our guide to reading release notes for security fixes. Check whether the entry is a pre-release, scan for security words, and follow links.
Entry text can be long or empty. Some projects write full notes and others link to a changelog. If an entry says nothing, open the release page and the changelog.
Keep the list small and owned
A feed reader with three hundred subscriptions is read by no one. Keep to the dependencies that matter most, such as the runtime, framework, and any library that handles untrusted input, authentication or cryptography. Put a name next to each, and prune quarterly.
What a feed cannot do
It cannot tell you which of your services use the package, or at which version. It cannot show advisories that are published separately from releases. It cannot warn you of fixes made before a release exists. Treat it as a cheap way to stay informed, and keep an automated check as the backstop.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard's SBOM and dependency scanning matches advisories to the versions in your repositories, so the feed tells you what is new and the scan tells you what applies. Try a free scan at gold.safeguard.sh/scan.
Try it yourself
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Look at how monitoring surfaces new findings continuously, without checking each project by hand.
Quick check
Does the releases feed include security advisories?
No. It lists releases. Advisories are published separately, so follow those as well.
Do I need a GitHub account to read the feed?
Not for a public repository. The feed is fetched like any web address.
Sources
- Example releases feed for a public repository, fetched 19 October 2026
- GitHub Docs: configuring notifications
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
