Contribution Patterns in Open Source Software for Social Good: Dynamics, Individuals, and Impact CSCW010
Zihan Fang, Yueke Zhang, Thomas Zimmermann, Denae Ford, Yu Huang · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · 2026
Open Source Software for Social Good (OSS4SG), a specialized segment within the Open Source Software (OSS) domain, is gaining increasing recognition for its focus on addressing societal challenges and delivering positive social impact. Learning about how contributors engage with OSS4SG is crucial to its sustainability, as the long-term success of these projects relies heavily on active and ongoing contributor participation. However, no study has yet examined the dynamics of contributors within OSS4SG. To fill this gap, we analyzed over 2.2 million commits made by 5,860 contributors to both OSS4SG and general OSS projects on GitHub, identifying contribution patterns and factors influencing sustained contribution to OSS4SG. We found that although OSS4SG contributors tend to show lower overall contribution intensity and shorter active lifespans, their activity during engaged periods is relatively more regular compared to contributions to general OSS. In addition, contributors from developing regions (e.g., Africa) or women are more likely to start with and continue contributing to OSS4SG, despite their overall contribution levels being lower than those of others. Based on these insights, we propose targeted strategies to increase contributions to OSS4SG projects to maximize their social impact to benefit society and harness their potential to foster broader participation in open source, ultimately enhancing the sustainability of the whole community.