Dmitry Vinnik Vinnik
Measuring Project Health in Open Source
#1about 5 minutes
Understanding the fundamentals of open source
Open source is defined by users and contributors who are motivated by community, leadership, productivity, and branding.
#2about 2 minutes
Moving beyond vanity metrics for project health
Instead of relying on simple numbers like stars or forks, project health should be evaluated through a conceptual framework.
#3about 2 minutes
Defining long-term goals for your project
Establish clear long-term goals such as recruiting, contributions, branding, or adoption before launching an open source project.
#4about 2 minutes
Creating a memorable and professional brand
A strong brand, built through thoughtful naming, a logo, and a clear narrative, demonstrates commitment to the project.
#5about 2 minutes
Why great documentation is a cornerstone
High-quality, searchable, and welcoming documentation is often the deciding factor in a project's success and contributor onboarding.
#6about 2 minutes
Structuring your codebase for collaboration
Implement a code of conduct, a detailed contributors guide, and issue templates to create a clear and safe environment for collaboration.
#7about 2 minutes
Fostering an active and supportive community
Build a thriving community by creating team-driven content, providing a dedicated space for interaction, and encouraging user-generated tutorials.
#8about 2 minutes
Actionable steps to improve project health
Improve your project's health by focusing on clear communication, understanding your community's needs, and consistently collecting relevant metrics.
#9about 4 minutes
Q&A: Identifying meaningful community metrics
Go beyond simple view counts by using tools like Orbit to track first-time contributions and analyzing Q&A forums to measure engagement.
#10about 2 minutes
Q&A: Defining and tracking project success
Measure success by analyzing sentiment, comparing your project to alternatives, and most importantly, tracking your own growth quarter over quarter.
#11about 4 minutes
Q&A: Evaluating programming language popularity
Assess a programming language's community size and health by reviewing annual reports, tracking trends, and considering the job market.
#12about 4 minutes
Q&A: Finding resources and managing imposter syndrome
Utilize resources like the GitHub Open Source Guide and recognize that imposter syndrome is a common feeling in the ever-changing tech landscape.
Related jobs
Jobs that call for the skills explored in this talk.
Matching moments
04:17 MIN
A practical checklist for assessing open source projects
What Makes Open Source Work: Licensing and Beyond
05:42 MIN
How companies can ethically promote open source development
Open Source: The Engine of Innovation in the Digital Age
09:01 MIN
Using standards and sharing knowledge within the community
Fireside Chat with Sir Tim Berners-Lee
06:26 MIN
Managing open source communities with a gift exchange mindset
Fireside Chat with David Heinemeier Hansson
03:26 MIN
Measuring developer joy with qualitative and quantitative data
Reimagining the Developer Experience: The AI Advantage
07:50 MIN
Getting hired through open source and passion projects
WeAreDevelopers LIVE - Vector Similarity Search Patterns for Efficiency and more
03:10 MIN
Actionable ways for developers to get involved in tech for good
From Code to Cause: Building a Sustainable Future with Tech
02:33 MIN
Accelerating impact and combating open source maintainer burnout
The Road to One Billion Developers
Featured Partners
Related Videos
42:54300 days straight of helping on stackoverflow
Konstantin BIFERT
31:12But, you're not Facebook
Kristijan Ristovski
51:10Web development best practices in 2021
Laurie Voss
24:14Collaboration Quantified: Lessons from Open Source Developer Networks
Dmitry Yanter
17:56Metrics Handle with Care: The Paradox of Measuring Team Performance
Stefan Stelzer & Volker Zöpfel
27:21The Future of Open Source
Scott Chacon
25:42Do you know how fast you were developing?
Markus Walker
59:18Can you build a career in open source?
Stormy Peters
Related Articles
View all articles
From learning to earning
Jobs that call for the skills explored in this talk.
doinstruct Software GmbH
Berlin, Germany
Senior
GIT
JavaScript
TypeScript
Speech Processing Solutions
Vienna, Austria
Intermediate
CSS
HTML
JavaScript
TypeScript
Peter Park System GmbH
München, Germany
Senior
Python
Docker
Node.js
JavaScript
JO Media Software Solutions GmBh
Brunn am Gebirge, Austria
Senior
CSS
Angular
JavaScript
TypeScript
immocloud GmbH
Düsseldorf, Germany
Senior
Java
Vue.js
JavaScript
TypeScript
infomax websolutions GmbH
Grassau, Germany
Intermediate
Senior
CSS
HTML
JavaScript
TypeScript
Lotum media GmbH
Bad Nauheim, Germany
Senior
Node.js
JavaScript
TypeScript
