Evolving software forges: An experience report from Apache Allura. Issue 12 (2nd November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tamburri, Damian A.; Palomba, Fabio
• Is Part Of: Journal of software. Volume 33:Issue 12(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-11-02
• Subjects: empirical software engineering -- software forges -- software refactoring; Software engineering -- Periodicals; Computer software -- Development -- Periodicals; Software maintenance -- Periodicals; 005.1
• DOI: 10.1002/smr.2397
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2047-7473

Abstract

Abstract: The open‐source phenomenon has reached unimaginable proportions to a point in which it is virtually impossible to find large applications that do not rely on open‐source as well. However, such proportions may turn into a risk if the organizational and socio‐technical aspects (e.g., the contribution and release schemes) behind open‐source communities are not explicitly supported by open‐source forges by‐design . In an effort to make such aspects explicit and supported by‐design in open‐source forges, we conducted empirical software engineering as follows: (a) Through online industrial surveying, we elicited organizational and social aspects relevant in open‐source communities; (b) through action research, we extended a widely known open‐source support system and top‐level Apache project Allura; (c) through ethnography, we studied the Allura community, and learning from its social and organizational structure, (d) we elicited a metrics framework that support more explicit organizational and socio‐technical design principles around open‐source communities. This article is an experience report on these results and the lessons we learned in obtaining them. We found that the extensions provided to Apache Allura formed the basis for community awareness by design, providing valuable and usable community characteristics. Ultimately, however, the extensions we provided to Apache Allura were deactivated by its core developers because of performance overheads. Our results and lessons learned allow us to provide recommendations for designing forges, like Github. Architecting a forge is a participatory process that requires active engagement, hence remarking the need for mechanisms enabling it. At the same time, we conclude that a more active support for the governance is required to avoid the failure of the forge. Abstract : Through an online industrial survey, we elicited organizational and social aspects relevant in open‐source communities. Through action research, we extended Apache Allura. Through ethnography, we studied the Allura community. We elicited a metrics framework that supports more explicit organizational and socio‐technical design principles around open‐source communities.