torvalds/linux

Number of days since the most recent commit to the default branch.

Why it matters: Fresher commits indicate active maintenance and faster bug-fix turnaround.

How to improve:

• Set up automated dependency updates to maintain regular commit activity.
• Use CI/CD pipelines to enforce consistent integration cycles.
• Adopt trunk-based development to keep the main branch moving.

Average number of commits pushed per month over the project's lifetime.

Why it matters: Higher commit frequency correlates with steady progress and responsiveness.

How to improve:

• Encourage small, focused commits rather than large batch changes.
• Use feature flags to merge work-in-progress safely.
• Set team commit cadence goals and track progress in dashboards.

Number of days since the most recent versioned release was published.

Why it matters: Regular releases give users access to fixes and features, signalling a healthy delivery cycle.

How to improve:

• Automate releases via CI with semantic versioning tools.
• Adopt a time-based release schedule (e.g., every 2 weeks).
• Publish pre-releases to gather feedback before stable releases.

Whether commit activity is growing, stable, or declining over recent months.

Why it matters: A growing or stable trend indicates sustained project momentum.

How to improve:

• Recruit new contributors through good-first-issue labels.
• Publish roadmap and contribution guides to attract participation.
• Schedule regular community events like hack sessions.

Presence and length of the repository's README file.

Why it matters: A substantial README is the first impression for potential users and contributors.

How to improve:

• Include installation, usage, and contribution sections.
• Add badges for build status, coverage, and license.
• Keep language clear and provide code examples.

Score from 0 to 4 measuring how many key README signals are present.

Why it matters: Quality READMEs reduce onboarding friction and improve discoverability.

How to improve:

• Ensure the README includes a project description and usage examples.
• Link to documentation, API references, and contribution guides.
• Add a table of contents for longer documents.

Whether the repository includes an open-source license file.

Why it matters: A license determines how others can use, modify, and distribute the code.

How to improve:

• Choose an OSI-approved license that matches your project goals.
• Place the LICENSE file at the repository root.
• Use SPDX identifiers in package metadata.

Whether the repository has a CONTRIBUTING.md or equivalent guide.

Why it matters: Clear contribution guidelines lower barriers for new contributors.

How to improve:

• Document the PR submission and review process.
• List coding standards and required tests.
• Provide templates for issues and pull requests.

Whether the repository has a SECURITY.md or security policy.

Why it matters: A security policy gives researchers a responsible disclosure path.

How to improve:

• Create a SECURITY.md with contact and disclosure procedures.
• Set up automated dependency vulnerability scanning.
• Define SLAs for acknowledging and patching reported issues.

Whether the repository has continuous integration configured.

Why it matters: CI catches regressions early and enforces code quality automatically.

How to improve:

• Configure a CI pipeline that runs tests on every push.
• Add linting and static analysis to the pipeline.
• Require CI pass before merging pull requests.

Ratio of closed issues to total issues.

Why it matters: A high closure rate indicates active issue management.

How to improve:

• Regularly triage and close duplicate or stale issues.
• Use automated staleness bots to flag inactive issues.
• Track issue age and set resolution targets.

Ratio of issues that received at least one substantive response.

Why it matters: Unanswered issues frustrate users and signal neglect.

How to improve:

• Respond to new issues within one week, even with a brief acknowledgment.
• Use labels like 'needs-info' to prompt follow-ups.
• Create FAQ documentation for common questions.

Ratio of issues with no activity for over 90 days.

Why it matters: Stale issues clutter the tracker and obscure genuinely important work.

How to improve:

• Implement a stale-bot to auto-label and close dormant issues.
• Review stale issues monthly and close or reprioritize them.
• Add clear resolution or wont-fix labels to closed issues.

Median number of days until a new issue receives its first maintainer comment.

Why it matters: Quick initial responses set expectations and maintain community engagement.

How to improve:

• Configure automated acknowledgments for new issues.
• Assign triage owners on a rotating schedule.
• Use issue templates to make triage faster.