Python has joined Ruby and JavaScript on GitHub's list of coding languages it scans for security vulnerabilities.
Developers using Python can now get security alerts for any new bugs the code repository platform spots, as well as some recent vulnerabilities Python has had.
They will also find Python on their project dependency graph, which tracks all the projects, packages and applications a developer's code depends on without leaving their repository.
Security alerts will notify users of any known vulnerabilities affecting the code their repository relies on, and the dependency graph also lets users know if there's a known security fix from within the wider GitHub community.
GitHub, bought by Microsoft for $7.5 billion last month, tracked more than four million vulnerabilities in 500,000 Ruby and JavaScript code repositories after it shipped support for those languages last year.
Developers typically patched known vulnerabilities affecting their projects within seven days of detection, GitHub said, suggesting a similar approach for Python-based projects would be useful to users.
"We've chosen to launch the new platform offering with a few recent vulnerabilities," GitHub quality engineer Robert Schultheis said in a blog post.
"Over the coming weeks, we will be adding more historical Python vulnerabilities to our database. Going forward, we will continue to monitor the NVD feed and other sources, and will send alerts on any newly disclosed vulnerabilities in Python packages."
To enable Python security alerts, developers must first check in a requirements.txt file or Pipfile.lock file inside their public Python code repositories. Doing so will automatically enable the dependency graph and security alerts.
Private repositories require users to opt into security alerts via their settings, or by allowing access in the dependency graph section of the repository's 'Insights' tab.
Admins will then receive security alerts by default, and can add teams or individuals to the notifications via their settings page 'Alerts' tab.
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