How to understand GitHub notifications?

 
Step 1: Accessing Your Notifications
 

To view your GitHub notifications, use the bell icon in the top-right corner of any GitHub page. Notifications appear in a dropdown menu by default, but you can click “View all notifications” to open the full notifications center.

• Global view of all unread updates
• Grouped by repository and thread
• Filter controls on the left sidebar

 
Step 2: Understanding Notification Types
 

GitHub sends notifications for various activities. Common types include:

• Issues opened, commented, or closed
• Pull requests created, reviewed, or merged
• Releases, discussions, and security alerts

Each notification shows an icon and label. For example, the issue icon (a speech bubble) indicates issue-related activity, while the pull‐request icon (two arrows) indicates PR updates.

 
Step 3: Filtering and Customizing Your Feed
 

Use the filters in the notifications sidebar to narrow down what you see:

• All: Every notification
• Participating: Threads where you’re @mentioned or you’ve commented
• Unread: Only unread threads
• Security: Security advisories and alerts

You can also apply keyword filters or repository filters at the top of the list.

 
Step 4: Marking Notifications as Read or Unread
 

To clear your notifications quickly, use the “Mark all as read” button at the top. For individual threads, click the checkbox next to each thread and then select “Mark as read”.

If you prefer the command line, GitHub’s CLI tool can help:

# List your notifications
gh notification list

# Mark all notifications as read
gh notification mark --all

# Mark a specific notification as read
gh notification dismiss 

 
Step 5: Email and Web Notification Settings
 

Configure how GitHub contacts you:

• Go to Settings > Notifications
• Choose to receive updates in-browser, by email, or via a web hook
• Set default notification preferences per repository or organization

You can opt out of email digests, receive each notification immediately, or get a daily summary.

 
Step 6: Subscribing and Unsubscribing from Threads
 

To subscribe to a discussion or issue:

• Open the thread you care about
• Click the **Subscribe** button in the right sidebar

To stop receiving notifications:

• Click **Unsubscribe** in the same sidebar
• Or use the CLI:

  
  gh issue subscription remove --repo owner/repo --issue-number 123
  

 
Step 7: Using the Mobile App
 

On iOS or Android, install the GitHub app and sign in. Enable push notifications in your device settings. You’ll receive real-time alerts for:

• New mentions
• Review requests
• Comments on watched issues or PRs

You can tap any notification to jump directly into the thread.

 
Step 8: Best Practices and Tips
 

• Regularly review and clear notifications to avoid overload
• Customize per-repository settings to reduce noise
• Use the GitHub CLI for faster, keyboard-driven workflows
• Create filters or labels in your email client to organize GitHub emails