Open Source
Study reveals how newcomers and veterans differ in selecting open-source projects
Research into contributor motivations shows age, gender, and experience level shape how developers choose OSS projects to join.
A new study comparing the decision-making patterns of new and experienced open-source contributors has found striking differences in how each group selects projects to work on. The research suggests that understanding these distinct preferences could help improve how developers discover suitable projects and remain engaged within OSS communities.
What the research found#
Surveying 208 software practitioners, the researchers uncovered that demographic characteristics—including age, gender, and existing role in open-source projects—correlate significantly with what motivates contributors. Beyond demographics, the study shows that developers value different project qualities depending on their underlying motivations. Some prioritize project maturity and documentation, while others weigh development stage and code age differently.
The most novel finding centers on the gap between newcomers and seasoned participants. Rather than treating all contributors as one group, the study deliberately analyzed each segment separately, revealing that these two populations have fundamentally divergent criteria for project selection.
Why it matters for the ecosystem#
Inefficient project discovery remains a persistent friction point in open-source onboarding. When developers struggle to find projects aligned with their skills and goals, they often experience poor initial experiences and may disengage before building meaningful contributions. By mapping out what each cohort actually wants—rather than what the community assumes they want—the research provides a roadmap for improvement.
Implications for tools and platforms#
The study also examined how existing recommendation systems fall short and what changes would better serve contributors' real needs. The researchers suggest that recommendation algorithms and project discovery platforms could be redesigned to account for these motivational and demographic variations, creating more personalized pathways into OSS communities and supporting long-term retention.
