Probabilistic Model Checking GitHub Repositories for Software Project Analysis

Abstract

GitHub serves as a platform for collaborative software development, where contributors engage, evolve projects, and shape the community. This study presents a novel approach to analyzing GitHub activity that departs from traditional methods. Using Discrete-Time Markov Chains and probabilistic Computation Tree Logic for model checking, we aim to uncover temporal dynamics, probabilities, and key factors influencing project behavior. By explicitly modeling state transitions, our approach provides transparency and explainability for sequential properties. The application of our method to five repositories demonstrates its feasibility and scalability and provides insights into the long-term probabilities of various activities. In particular, the analysis provides valuable perspectives for project managers to optimize team dynamics and resource allocation. The query specifications developed for model checking allow users to generate and execute queries for specific aspects, demonstrating scalability beyond the queries we present. In conclusion, our analysis provides an understanding of GitHub repository properties, branch management, and subscriber behavior. We anticipate its applicability to various open-source projects, revealing trends among contributors based on the unique characteristics of repositories.