July 2017 Summaries

GitHub has introduced a new feature called Topics, which allows users to tag their repositories with descriptive words or phrases to enhance discoverability on the platform. This feature leverages a topic extraction framework, Repo-Topix, developed using techniques from text mining, natural language processing, and machine learning. The framework processes human-readable text from repository names, descriptions, and READMEs to generate, select, and refine candidate topics, addressing challenges such as noise filtering, topic similarity, and canonicalization. The system ranks topics using a tf-idf-based scoring system, aiming for a balance between uniqueness and relevance, while also experimenting with methods to improve topic variety and avoid redundancy. The initiative aims not only to improve the discoverability of public repositories but also to contribute to an evolving GitHub knowledge graph, mapping relationships among concepts, code, people, and projects. Future plans include refining the model with user feedback and potentially extending topic suggestions to private repositories, all while ensuring privacy and data security.

js13kGames is an annual game development competition for HTML5 game developers, challenging participants to create games based on a secret theme within a strict limit of 13 kilobytes after minification and compression. Since its inception in 2012, the competition has showcased impressive creativity and technical skill, with themes such as "Number 13," "Bad Luck," "The Elements," "Reversed," and "Glitch" inspiring a range of engaging and innovative games. Despite the size constraint, developers have managed to produce polished and compelling entries, some of which have even evolved into full-fledged games available on platforms like Steam. Organized by Andrzej Mazur, the event continues to support developers with resources and tools, fostering a vibrant community of game creators who defy the limitations of file size to deliver high-quality gaming experiences.

GitHub Universe is set to take place at Pier 70 in San Francisco from October 10-12, with efforts to enhance inclusivity and accessibility for attendees from diverse backgrounds. Although the deadline for scholarship applications has passed, the event offers free tickets through community partnerships aimed at increasing representation of underrepresented groups in the tech industry. While scholarships cover only the conference ticket, attendees must arrange their travel and lodging independently. The event will feature several accessibility measures, including gender-neutral bathrooms, a quiet/meditation room, a nursing/baby care room, closed captioning, ADA-compliant spaces, and amenities for service or therapy dogs, reflecting GitHub's commitment to creating an inclusive environment.

A significant obstacle to code review is often the time it takes, but a new approach aims to streamline this by allowing users to easily understand code changes. This method enables navigation to altered methods and functions directly from a pull request file finder, supporting languages such as Go, JavaScript, Ruby, Python, and TypeScript. By searching the file finder for specific methods or functions, users receive a timeline-style view of results, enabling them to focus on the most impactful elements of a pull request. This enhancement is designed to improve the efficiency of the review process, and users are encouraged to provide feedback or suggest additional search functionalities through a help form.

The Questocat tee, inspired by vintage games, is now available in the GitHub Shop, encouraging adventurers to embrace exploration and commitment, symbolized by the design on the shirt's back. As part of a Closeout Sale, the shop also offers Piratocat and Social Coding shirts for $17.50. The Questocat photos were taken at Brewcade SF, where upcoming events can be explored. The announcement was written by Brandi Firestine.

GitHub has introduced several enhancements aimed at fostering open-source community growth and improving user experience. These include the introduction of contributor badges to help maintainers identify and welcome new contributors by displaying "first-time contributor" and "contributor" badges, which also assist in distinguishing valuable input during discussions. The platform has made it easier to select and customize open-source licenses via a new license picker tool. To address privacy concerns, GitHub now defaults new users' settings to keep email addresses private, ensuring that personal information is not inadvertently exposed. Additionally, measures have been taken to improve user interactions by alerting users about blocked contributors and preventing blocked users from commenting on issues or pull requests in repositories. These updates are designed to make it easier for individuals to contribute to open-source projects, start new initiatives, and cultivate thriving communities.

The discussion between Solutions Engineering Manager Aziz Shamim and Datascope Analytics' Jess Freaner highlighted how data scientists can leverage best practices from both science and software to enhance collaboration and results through open-source methodologies. Key takeaways from their conversation include the importance of transparency and openness, which are crucial for successful data science projects, as well as regular feedback, collaborative knowledge-sharing, frequent check-ins, shared documentation, and "reference code" to ensure alignment between teams and clients. Datascope contributes to and develops open-source projects such as Textract and traces, benefiting from shared industry knowledge to advance their work. Freaner and Shamim emphasized that open-source practices can make data science teams more iterative, modular, hypothesis-driven, and human-centered, encouraging a holistic, collaborative, and agile approach to problem-solving.

Soft U2F is a software-based implementation of the FIDO U2F second-factor authentication designed for macOS users, aiming to increase the adoption of this security measure. It is compatible with Google Chrome, Opera's built-in U2F, and U2F extensions for Safari and Firefox, allowing users to receive notifications to accept or reject authentication requests when visiting U2F-compatible sites. Users can experiment with the technology on Yubico's U2F demo site and configure it for use with their GitHub accounts. The initiative is detailed further in the Engineering Blog, where the motivations for the project and the differences between hardware and software key storage are discussed, offering insights into the security considerations involved.

Patchwork is organizing an event in Pittsburgh designed for beginners eager to learn Git and GitHub, as well as mentors who wish to assist others in this learning journey. Scheduled for August 7, 2017, at The Shop, the event offers a relaxed, hands-on workshop atmosphere where participants can engage with various self-directed modules, including introductions to GitHub and its desktop and command line interfaces. Attendees, who are encouraged to sign up for a GitHub account in advance, will have opportunities to complete a pull request and enhance their open-source contributions, while mentors will guide them through the process. The event, which is wheelchair accessible and provides gender-neutral restrooms, is supported by local partners and includes food and refreshments, as well as special acknowledgments for mentors.

GitHub, in collaboration with Facebook and the Ford Foundation, has donated $100,000 to the Internet Bug Bounty (IBB) to enhance internet security by identifying vulnerabilities in internet infrastructure and open-source software. This initiative follows GitHub's launch of its own Security Bug Bounty Program over three years ago, aimed at rewarding researchers for reporting vulnerabilities. The IBB has awarded over $616,350 for identifying more than 625 valid vulnerabilities, with $150,000 distributed last year alone for over 250 vulnerabilities. Additionally, $45,000 of these bounties have been donated to organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Hackers for Charity. The IBB plans to use the $300,000 fund to broaden its scope by introducing a Data Processing Program focused on data parsing libraries and expanding coverage of foundational internet technologies like OpenSSL, as determined by a volunteer panel from the security community.

GitHub has introduced Soft U2F, a software-based U2F authenticator for macOS, to encourage wider adoption of FIDO U2F second factor authentication by eliminating the need for a physical device. This initiative follows GitHub's previous implementation of TOTP-based two-factor authentication, with U2F offering a superior user experience and addressing security issues associated with TOTP. Soft U2F functions by emulating a HID device, allowing it to interact with U2F-enabled browsers and compatible websites, with key storage managed through the macOS Keychain. While hardware key storage is typically more secure as it protects against malware access, the software-based U2F still provides substantial defense against common cyber threats like password dumps and phishing. Despite potential security trade-offs, many users may find the convenience of Soft U2F appealing.

Software projects often encounter user questions or issues, and GitHub now enables developers to guide users to appropriate support channels through SUPPORT files. These files function similarly to CONTRIBUTING files and can be located in the repository root, .github/, or docs/ folder, appearing prominently on GitHub, such as above the new issue form. Unlike CONTRIBUTING files, SUPPORT files specifically direct users to resources like community forums, FAQ documents, or corporate support channels. Ben Balter, Chief of Staff for Security at GitHub, has played a significant role in enhancing community management, privacy, compliance, and security on the platform, shipping over 500 features and encouraging government adoption of open source philosophies during his tenure.

GitHub's second annual Diversity Report highlights the company's commitment to inclusivity and transparency, showcasing progress in diversifying its workforce with a 2% increase in Black and Asian employees and doubling its percentage of transgender and genderqueer employees. Despite these achievements, the report acknowledges the need for further improvement, particularly in leadership roles, where the percentage of women decreased and the growth of people of color was limited to a 2% gain. A notable development is the establishment of the Office of Employee Experience and Engagement, led by Merritt Anderson, to enhance diversity, inclusion, and employee advocacy. The report also reveals that attrition rates show no significant differences across gender, race, or ethnicity, a metric GitHub plans to monitor closely. Encouraging other companies to follow suit, GitHub remains focused on building a more inclusive culture and improving employee experiences across the board.

GitHub is launching a new webcast series to share insights from their teams on overcoming unique challenges while using GitHub to build diverse projects, often across different time zones. The series includes sessions covering various topics, such as effective communication within issues, strategies for remote team collaboration, team management workflows, project management techniques using GitHub features, and creating documentation with GitHub. Each session consists of approximately 40 minutes of tips and a 10-minute Q&A, offering practical advice and tools to enhance productivity and collaboration. These webcasts aim to help participants improve their use of GitHub for different aspects of project development and management, whether they are dealing with software or documentation.

Managing GitHub notifications efficiently is essential for maintaining productivity, especially when dealing with a high volume of alerts from active projects or company repositories. Key strategies include reducing unnecessary notifications by unwatching irrelevant repositories, leaving non-essential teams, and locking or unsubscribing from outdated conversations. Prioritizing notifications can be achieved by understanding the reasons behind them, utilizing email headers, and setting up filters to direct emails to specific folders, allowing users to focus on high-priority alerts. Organizing notifications in an email client can further streamline workflow by enabling options like "Include your own updates" and filtering them accordingly. Users are encouraged to frequently review their recent work through their created pull requests and issues pages to maintain continuity in their projects. These practices help in managing notifications effectively, ensuring that users can focus on what truly matters and maintain efficiency in their collaborative endeavors on GitHub.

GitHub has introduced several updates to enhance the management of incoming issues in repositories, including a new keyword and saved reply feature for marking duplicate issues, as well as improved keyword styling for better clarity. Users can now efficiently flag redundant issues by commenting with the "duplicate of" keyword and the relevant issue number or URL, which will generate a "Marked as duplicate" event in the timelines of the referenced issues. Additionally, the updated keyword styling provides more informative displays in issues and pull requests, with keywords like "closes" being highlighted and accompanied by tooltips that explain their function, such as indicating that a referenced issue will be closed upon the merging of a pull request.

Nearly three years ago, GitHub, along with millions of individuals and hundreds of companies, rallied to support an open internet following the 2015 net neutrality rules established by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These rules prohibited broadband providers from blocking access to legal content, degrading lawful internet traffic, or favoring certain traffic for compensation. Despite winning the initial battle, these rules have faced ongoing challenges in court, and earlier this year, a new FCC commissioner proposed rolling them back. GitHub, along with a thousand other companies, urged the commissioner to protect net neutrality, emphasizing the importance of a level playing field for anyone involved in software development, whether contributing to open source, building mobile apps, or creating a decentralized internet. Mike Linksvayer, Head of Developer Policy at GitHub, encourages internet users to continue advocating for net neutrality, stressing the need for collective action to ensure the open internet remains safeguarded.

Professor Chris Lupo of California Polytechnic State University has innovatively updated his upper-level Architecture course by integrating GitHub Classroom and Raspberry Pi to enhance student engagement and development skills. Emphasizing the university's "learn by doing" philosophy, Lupo's approach involves using real-world tools to foster hands-on learning, encouraging students to adopt best practices like frequent code pushes and collaborative debugging. GitHub Classroom streamlines assignment distribution and collaboration, allowing Lupo to access and comment on student work directly, test solutions on his Raspberry Pi, and efficiently return feedback. This method alleviates file transfer issues and enables continuous instructor access to student code, enhancing the learning experience. Additionally, Lupo taps into the GitHub Education Community for support and resources, finding the community invaluable for advice and practical tools, despite an initial learning curve for students unfamiliar with Git. Overall, this approach has been well-received, with positive student feedback and increased satisfaction with the coding experience.

GitHub is hosting Field Day, a one-day unconference event on July 29th at their headquarters for leaders of technical student communities, particularly those involved in tech clubs or active in their school's tech scene, who are in the San Francisco Bay Area during the summer. The event is designed to be student-run with a flexible structure, allowing attendees to drive the content through activities such as lightning talks and discussions centered around their experiences. The focus will be on sharing community-building strategies, learning from each other's successes and challenges, and exploring potential future collaborations, while also considering how summer internships in the area can enhance their communities back home.

GitHub has opened its site policies, including its Terms of Service, for public collaboration and feedback through a new GitHub repository called github/site-policy. This initiative follows the successful open-sourcing of their Balanced Employee IP Agreement, which garnered positive community feedback and inspired other companies. By making these policies open source, GitHub aims to save time and costs for startups and improve policies through community input. Users can view, comment, and suggest changes to the site policies, and significant updates, such as those to the Terms of Service and Corporate Terms of Service, are shared as pull requests for feedback. The current updates include new sections on Private Repositories, clarity on licenses, and adjustments to the Complete Agreement subsection. The changes will be enacted on August 7, following a period for public comment that ends on July 28. GitHub encourages users to engage with the repository to potentially benefit their own business policy development.

GitHub's MySQL infrastructure is essential for its operations, serving various functions such as GitHub.com, its API, and authentication, with every git request interacting with it. To maintain data availability and integrity, GitHub employs continuous testing and automation for tasks like backups, schema migrations, and failovers. Percona Xtrabackup is used for full and logical backups, ensuring data can be restored efficiently. Delayed replicas provide a safeguard against erroneous queries by allowing a rollback to a specific point in time. Failovers are tested in a production-like environment to ensure reliability, with orchestrator managing automated failovers. Chaos testing is being developed to further enhance resilience by intentionally disrupting the production environment in a controlled manner. For schema migrations, GitHub utilizes gh-ost to run live migrations, copying data onto ghost tables and swapping them with original tables after verification. This rigorous testing regime, including automated restore and failover tests, ensures high trust in the infrastructure's ability to handle ongoing and future challenges while accommodating continuous development and improvements.

GitHub's new code owners feature enhances the code review process by allowing repository maintainers to specify which individuals or teams must review changes to specific files, thereby streamlining the review workflow and ensuring that knowledgeable reviewers are involved. This is achieved by creating a CODEOWNERS file in the repository, where file patterns are mapped to designated owners, who are automatically requested for review when a pull request affects their files. Additionally, a protected branch option can be enabled to require a review from code owners before merging, adding an extra layer of security and ensuring thorough evaluation of changes. This feature, inspired by Chromium’s OWNERS files, aims to improve the effectiveness of code reviews and invites user feedback for further enhancement.

Katrina, an Open Source Advocate at GitHub, encourages individuals to submit speaker proposals for the upcoming GitHub Universe conference in San Francisco, emphasizing the value of unique problem-solving experiences over prior speaking engagements. The conference aims to feature diverse voices in breakout sessions, with participants receiving an honorarium and travel accommodations to ensure inclusivity. The proposal process highlights the importance of audience-centric storytelling, setting stakes by clearly defining and addressing relevant problems, and providing actionable solutions. Notable sessions from the previous year showcased impactful discussions, such as Anjuan Simmons's exploration of privilege, Keavy McMinn's insights into GitHub integrations, and Pamela Vickers's examination of coding education, all of which effectively engaged audiences by connecting personal experiences to broader themes within the tech community.