github-project-status

name	github-project-status
description	Check the health and maintenance status of a GitHub project. Use when user asks about project status, whether a project is maintained, abandoned, or looking for alternatives. Analyzes commit history, releases, issues, PRs, and searches for active forks or community discussions about project future.
allowed-tools	WebFetch, WebSearch, Bash(gh:*)
user-invocable	true

GitHub Project Status Checker

Analyze the health and maintenance status of GitHub projects, especially those that may be unmaintained, abandoned, or in need of community takeover.

When to Use

• User asks "is X project still maintained?"
• User wants to evaluate a dependency's health
• User asks about project status, activity, or alternatives
• User mentions a GitHub URL and asks about its status
• User asks to check if there's a more active fork

Input Handling

Accept GitHub project references in these formats:

• Full URL: https://github.com/owner/repo

• Short form: owner/repo

• Organization URL: https://github.com/org (analyze main repos)

• No argument given: Run git remote -v in the current directory and identify the upstream repository. Use the first match from this priority order:

  1. Remote named upstream
  2. Remote named origin
  3. First remote with a GitHub URL

  Extract owner/repo from the remote URL (handles both https://github.com/owner/repo and [e-mail]:owner/repo formats).

Analysis Steps

1. Fetch Core Metadata

Use WebFetch on https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo} to extract:

• created_at, pushed_at, updated_at
• stargazers_count, forks_count, open_issues_count
• archived, disabled
• description, license

2. Analyze Commit Activity

Use WebFetch on https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/commits/master (or main) to find:

• Date of last commit
• Author of recent commits (single maintainer vs. community?)
• Frequency of commits in past year

3. Check Release History

Use WebFetch on https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/tags to find:

• Latest release/tag version and date
• Release frequency pattern
• Time since last release

4. Assess Issue/PR Backlog

Use WebFetch on https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/pulls?q=is:pr+is:open+sort:updated-desc:

• Count of open PRs
• Age of oldest open PRs
• Whether PRs are being merged

Use WebFetch on https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/issues?q=is:issue+is:open+sort:updated-desc:

• Count of open issues
• Recent issue activity
• Response patterns

5. Search for Maintenance Discussions

Search for issues about project status:

• WebFetch: https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/issues?q=is:issue+maintainer+OR+abandoned+OR+unmaintained+OR+looking+for
• Look for labels like "help wanted", "seeking maintainer"

6. Find Active Forks

Use WebSearch: {repo} fork active maintained site:github.com

Check https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/network/members if accessible.

7. Check Package Registry (if applicable)

For Python projects: WebFetch https://pypi.org/project/{package}/ For Node.js: WebFetch https://www.npmjs.com/package/{package}

Health Assessment Criteria

Generate a status based on these indicators:

Healthy/Active

• Commits within last 3 months
• Releases within last year
• Issues/PRs being addressed
• Multiple active contributors

Maintenance Mode (Stable)

• Project explicitly states stable/mature
• Occasional updates for compatibility
• May have slow PR/issue response
• Core features complete

Stagnant (Concerning)

• No commits in 6+ months
• No releases in 1+ years
• PRs accumulating without review
• Issues unanswered
• Single maintainer gone quiet

Abandoned

• No commits in 1+ years
• No releases in 2+ years
• Archived flag set
• Issues explicitly asking about status unanswered
• Community forks emerging

Output Format

Provide a structured report:

## Project Status Report: {owner}/{repo}

### Quick Summary
- **Status**: [Healthy | Maintenance Mode | Stagnant | Abandoned]
- **Last Commit**: {date} ({time ago})
- **Last Release**: {version} ({date})
- **Open Issues/PRs**: {issues} / {prs}

### Activity Analysis
{Detailed findings about commit patterns, maintainer activity}

### Community Health
{Discussion activity, contributor diversity, response times}

### Maintenance Concerns (if any)
{List specific red flags found}

### Active Forks / Alternatives
{Any community forks with significant activity}
{Alternative projects if found}

### Recommendation
{Brief actionable advice for the user}

Important Notes

• Always check if project explicitly states it's in maintenance mode (many mature projects are intentionally quiet)
• Distinguish between "abandoned" and "stable/complete"
• Note if the project is used by many dependents (indicates community investment)
• Check if there's a migration path announced