| |
| Open source development (OSS) is a platform for developers to work collaboratively to finish a common project, which gives birth to the developer social network (DSN). Such DSNs provide valuable insights into knowledge flow, coordination effectiveness, innovation, and the diffusion of practices and technologies. Besides, the network structure, characterized by size, density, bridge, and degree centrality, also influences team cohesion, coordination efficiency, and the emergence of specialized expertise. We visualize 80 DSNs constructed from the empirical data of 80 popular projects in \textsc{GitHub}, identifying these DSNs' characteristics and employing a regression model to estimate the correlation between DSNs' properties and the average number of monthly new commits ($\overline{\textbf{NewC}}$). Our analysis reveals three key findings: (1) the effects of DSN size and DSN bridge are positively correlated with $\overline{\textbf{NewC}}$; (2) the effects of DSN density exhibit a weak negative correlation with $\overline{\textbf{NewC}}$; and (3) no relationship exists between DSN average degree centrality and $\overline{\textbf{NewC}}$. These results provide an integrated view of DSNs' structural characteristics and can inform software managers to enhance project management, team collaboration and software development outcomes. |
|
| Keywords:software engineering, open source development (OSS), developer social network, network properties, commit activity, project outcomes |
|
