Contributors Metrics Explained
This page provides concise explanations of the metrics available on the Contributors page of LFX Insights. These metrics help you understand who is contributing to an open source project on behalf of which organizations.
Contributors Leaderboard
What it is: A ranked list of individual contributors based on their activity—such as commits, pull requests, and issue participation—over a selected time period.
Why it matters: Helps identify the most active individuals in a project. Useful for recognizing key contributors, assessing engagement, and understanding who is driving the project forward.
Organizations Leaderboard
What it is: A ranked list of organizations contributing to the project, based on aggregated contributions from their affiliated members.
Why it matters: Shows which companies or institutions are backing the project. Indicates corporate support, resource allocation, and long-term investment.
Active Contributors
What it is: The number of unique individuals who made contributions (e.g., commits, PRs, issues) during a given time period.
Why it matters: Gives a snapshot of current community engagement. A high number signals a vibrant, collaborative project.
Active Organizations
What it is: The number of unique organizations with affiliated contributors active in the project over a selected period.
Why it matters: Shows organizational diversity. Broad participation makes a project more resilient and less reliant on any one group.
Contributor Dependency
What it is: Measures how much the project depends on its most active individual contributors.
Why it matters: Highlights risk areas if key contributors leave. Useful for sustainability planning and succession strategy.
Organizations Dependency
What it is: Analyzes how much of the project’s contributions come from a small number of organizations.
Why it matters: Reveals potential over-reliance on single entities. Projects with diverse organizational support are generally more robust.
Retention
What it is: The percentage of contributors who stay active in the project across multiple time periods.
Why it matters: Indicates stability and long-term contributor engagement. High retention reflects a strong, committed community.
Geographical Distribution
What it is: Maps where contributors are located globally.
Why it matters: Helps understand the global reach of a project. Useful for planning community support, events, and understanding time zone diversity.