I'm looking to find a practical way to compare coding proficiency between two GitHub profiles, Profile A and Profile B. I know that just looking at someone's GitHub isn't perfect for gauging their skills, but I want to develop some metrics or benchmarks that could help me make a meaningful comparison. Specifically, I'm curious about how to evaluate aspects of each repository, like commit history, code quality, project complexity, issue engagement, documentation, test coverage, or contributions to other projects. I also want to know if there are methods to weight these metrics for a better comparison. Are there also specific strategies when looking at repositories written in the same programming language? Lastly, I'm aware there are limitations and biases to be cautious of when using GitHub for this kind of assessment, and I would love to hear how to address them.
3 Answers
Honestly, it's tough to accurately gauge coding proficiency from GitHub profiles. For example, I've known some really skilled developers who just don't maintain active profiles. It's all about how much time they invest in GitHub. You might want to focus on users who consistently use GitHub instead of spreading yourself too thin.
One approach could be to have an experienced developer review the code in question. They could evaluate the quality and help identify specific skills exhibited in the repo. But keep in mind, comparing stats might give you raw data, but real insight requires deeper analysis.
Great idea! How could I ask for a meaningful assessment from a developer?
To truly understand coding proficiency, it starts with defining what you consider "proficiency". Some high-proficiency coders might not show it in their public GitHub due to time constraints.
Yes, I think it's important to focus on active users who might not be experts but still contribute significantly.
That's a good point! Maybe narrowing down to those who use GitHub a lot would make more sense.