Renovate is a GitOps-driven dependency management engine designed to automate the maintenance of software projects. It functions as an automated update tool that scans repository files to identify outdated dependencies, fetches the latest compatible versions from external sources, and generates pull requests to apply those updates. By integrating directly with code hosting platforms, it synchronizes project dependencies through declarative configuration files, ensuring that software components remain current and secure.
The project distinguishes itself through its platform-agnostic architecture and comprehensive policy enforcement capabilities. It utilizes a hierarchical configuration system that allows for the propagation of standardized update policies across multiple repositories, while supporting custom dependency extraction for non-standard or proprietary file formats. To ensure reliability, it incorporates confidence signals derived from community data and provides intelligent automerge logic that triggers only when updates meet specific safety criteria.
Beyond core updates, the tool manages the full lifecycle of infrastructure components, including container image tags and pipeline versions. It handles complex tasks such as lockfile synchronization by invoking native build tools in isolated environments, and it maintains supply chain security by monitoring for abandoned packages and integrating with private package registries. The system also offers granular control over update scheduling, grouping, and reviewer assignment to minimize developer overhead.
Renovate is distributed as a containerized application or package, supporting deployment across various infrastructure environments. It provides extensive observability through operational dashboards, debug log visualization, and status check labeling to assist in monitoring the health and progress of automated update workflows.
