How to Watch a GitHub Repo for Releases, and When GitWatchman Fits Better
To watch a GitHub repository for releases only, click "Watch" on the repository page, choose "Custom", tick "Releases" and click "Apply". The catch: those release alerts land in the same GitHub inbox as all your other notifications, email delivery depends on your notification settings, and you repeat the setup for every repository. GitWatchman is a dedicated service that sends email alerts with full release notes. This guide shows how GitHub Watch works for releases and compares the two side by side.
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How to Use GitHub Watch for Releases Only
The Watch menu at the top of every repository offers four levels: "Participating and @mentions", "All Activity", "Ignore" and "Custom". Only Custom lets you pick event types, so that's the one you want for release notifications:
- Sign in to GitHub and open the repository.
- Click the "Watch" button at the top right.
- Select "Custom".
- Tick "Releases" and leave Issues, Pull requests, Discussions and Security alerts unticked.
- Click "Apply".
- To also get emails, open your GitHub notification settings and, under "Watching", enable delivery by email as well as on GitHub.
New releases then appear in your GitHub notifications inbox, and you can review every repository you watch on github.com/watching. Repeat the steps for each repository you want to follow.
GitHub Watch vs GitWatchman: Quick Comparison
| Feature | GitWatchman | GitHub Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Email notifications | Yes (direct) | Indirect (requires config) |
| Release notes in email | Yes (full notes) | GitHub email format, if email is enabled |
| Releases only | Yes (focused) | Configurable but noisy |
| Setup | Sign in + add repos | Watch button per repo |
| RSS feed | Personal aggregated feed | Per-repo only |
| Dashboard | Yes (release history) | GitHub notifications page |
| Repo limit | 5 (free tier) | Unlimited |
| Private repos | Public only | Yes |
| Account required | GitHub OAuth | GitHub account |
GitHub Watch for Releases: Pros and Limits
GitHub Watch is a built-in feature on every GitHub repository. With "Custom" > "Releases" selected, you subscribe to release notifications for that repository only.
Pros:
- Built into GitHub — no extra tools needed
- Works with private repositories
- No repo limit
- Supports other event types (issues, PRs, discussions)
Cons:
- Notifications mix with other GitHub activity — easy to miss
- Email alerts require separate configuration in GitHub settings
- Emails don't include full release notes
- Must configure each repository individually
- No aggregated dashboard for all tracked releases
What Is GitWatchman?
GitWatchman is a dedicated GitHub release monitoring service. It checks your tracked repositories every two hours and sends email notifications with the full release notes when a new version is published. For a popular framework like React, Vue, Angular or Svelte, that means one message per release instead of every issue and pull request.
Pros:
- Direct email alerts — no inbox configuration needed
- Includes full release notes and changelog in the email
- Focused exclusively on releases (no noise)
- Dashboard with release history for all monitored repos
- Personal RSS feed that aggregates all your repos
Cons:
- Free tier limited to 5 repositories
- Public repositories only
- Requires creating a separate account (GitHub OAuth)
GitHub Watch or GitWatchman: When to Use Which
Use GitWatchman if:
- You want email notifications with full release notes
- You track 5 or fewer public repositories
- You don't want release alerts mixed with other GitHub noise
- You want an aggregated RSS feed
- You want a dashboard showing release history
Use GitHub Watch if:
- You need to track private repositories
- You watch more than 5 repos
- You already manage all notifications through GitHub
- You also want to track issues, PRs, or discussions
Use both if:
- You want GitWatchman for your top 5 critical repos (email alerts) and GitHub Watch for the rest
FAQ
How do I watch a GitHub repository for releases only?
Open the repository, click Watch, choose Custom, tick Releases and click Apply. GitHub then notifies you about new releases of that repository, without issues or pull requests.
Can I use GitWatchman and GitHub Watch together?
Yes. Many developers use GitWatchman for their most important repositories (top 5) and GitHub Watch for the rest. The two tools complement each other.
Does GitWatchman replace GitHub Watch?
Not entirely. GitWatchman is better for email-based release tracking, but GitHub Watch supports private repos and other event types. Choose based on your needs.
Is either option paid?
Both are free. GitWatchman's free tier covers 5 repositories, and GitHub Watch has no limits.
The Verdict
If you want hassle-free email notifications with full release notes for a handful of important public repositories, GitWatchman is the better choice. If you need unlimited repo tracking or work with private repositories, GitHub Watch is the way to go. If you're also weighing automated update PRs, read GitWatchman vs Dependabot.
For a deeper look at all available methods, see our guide on how to get notified when a GitHub repository has a new release.
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