Open-Source Project 'CONTRIBUTING.md' File Size Variance
Tracking the size of 'CONTRIBUTING.md' files in open-source projects to understand onboarding and governance trends.
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About this data
This page measures the variance in the file size of 'CONTRIBUTING.md' across a collection of open-source projects. We track both the median file size and the standard deviation, expressed in bytes. These metrics can offer an indirect insight into how thoroughly and complexly projects document their contribution guidelines.
The data is gathered by analysing 'CONTRIBUTING.md' files from a representative corpus of open-source repositories. By observing trends in these file sizes over time, we can potentially identify shifts in developer onboarding practices and the evolution of project governance structures. This metric is not commonly tracked elsewhere, providing a unique perspective on the open-source landscape.
Understanding the size and scope of contribution guidelines can be valuable for developers looking to contribute to new projects, and for project maintainers seeking to refine their onboarding processes. It offers a quantifiable way to gauge the effort invested in making projects accessible to new contributors.
Why this isn't published anywhere else
While the importance of CONTRIBUTING.md files is widely discussed, and general open-source metrics are tracked, there is no evidence of anyone regularly tracking or publishing statistics on the variance of CONTRIBUTING.md file size.
Uniqueness score 0.90 — assessed against live web search results when this subject was created.