Research Reports
Data-driven research on the open-source ecosystem, built on the same dataset behind the directory itself.
Most write-ups about open source are anecdotal — a founder's story, a single case study, a hot take on X. These reports start from the same structured dataset that powers the app and package directory instead, and work backward from what the numbers actually show: which projects get acquired and why, how maintenance health predicts outcomes, and where the popular narrative about open source diverges from the data.
Latest report · July 1, 2026
What Makes Open Source Acquirable: Lessons from 149 YC Companies
Standalone apps get acquired roughly seven times more often than libraries. Stars barely matter. And the first three weeks after the deal predict the outcome better than anything in the press release.
