Preparing Core Explorer for some more attention

An Introductory Look at Our Tools for Exploring the Bitcoin Repository

You can read the About page.

But what else?

At coreexplorer.org, we’ve been working on tools to provide insights into the Bitcoin repository, fostering transparency and encouraging community involvement. Today, we’d like to give you a detailed look at the three codebases we’ve developed so far: Repo Explorer, Vibe Explorer, and RepEx. Each of these tools serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overarching goal of creating a comprehensive repository exploration experience.

Repo Explorer: Harnessing GitHub API Data

Our journey began with Repo Explorer, a tool designed to extract and process data from the GitHub API. Here’s a closer look at its functionalities:

• Data Collection: Repo Explorer scrapes commit and pull request history from the Bitcoin repository on GitHub. This process involves collecting detailed information about each commit and pull request, offering a broad overview of the repository’s activity.
• Data Export: The collected data is then processed and exported into a CSV format. This allows users to import the data into spreadsheet tools for further analysis, creating charts, and drawing insights.
• Accessibility: With a GitHub API key, anyone can run the scripts to scrape the repository, making Repo Explorer an accessible entry point for exploring Bitcoin repository data.

Vibe Explorer: Bringing Data to Life

Vibe Explorer is our front-end application, aimed at demonstrating an interactive and visually appealing way to present repository data. Key aspects of this tool include:

• User Interface: Vibe Explorer features a clean and intuitive interface, providing users with an engaging way to explore repository details. Currently, it uses mock data but serves as a prototype for our vision of user interaction.
• Interactive Experience: The front-end allows users to visualize data in an informative and engaging manner, making it an excellent tool for understanding repository activity without delving into raw data.

RepEx: Uncovering Repository Dynamics

RepEx is our most ambitious tool to date, combining a graph database with an API to deliver deep insights into contributor interactions and repository dynamics. Here’s what makes it unique:

• Graph Database: RepEx utilizes a Neo4j graph database to structure repository data, enabling complex queries and visualizations that reveal patterns and relationships.
• Backend Processing: The server application reads the .git subfolder of a repository, creating database nodes and edges that represent the information within. This structured approach allows for in-depth analysis of contributor activities.
• API Endpoints: By developing meaningful API endpoints, RepEx can power informative charts and visualizations on the front end, offering users a rich and insightful experience.

Our Development Journey

We’ve made significant strides with these tools, each built in our spare time with a passion for contributing to the Bitcoin ecosystem. Our development journey has been one of exploration and refinement:

• Repo Explorer laid the groundwork by providing a practical way to collect and analyze GitHub data. Its success highlighted the need for more sophisticated tools.
• Vibe Explorer allowed us to envision how users might interact with our data, emphasizing the importance of a user-friendly interface.
• RepEx represents our most promising endeavor, offering a deep dive into repository dynamics and contributor interactions. Although it’s still in development, it holds tremendous potential for uncovering valuable insights.

What’s Next?

As we continue to refine these tools, we invite the community to explore, provide feedback, and contribute to their development. Our goal is to create a suite of tools that not only meet but exceed the expectations of the Bitcoin community, providing unparalleled insights into the repository’s inner workings.