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Development Stagnation and Documentation Gaps Hamper Google Gemini Cookbook's User Experience

The Google Gemini Cookbook, a repository offering guides and examples for utilizing Google's multimodal API, is experiencing development stagnation with unresolved issues and documentation deficiencies impacting user satisfaction.

Despite active engagement with the project, significant gaps in support and documentation are evident. Users frequently request clearer guidance on file uploads and API functionalities, as seen in issues like #274 and #261. The backlog of stale issues, such as #220 and #233, suggests a need for more responsive maintenance to prevent user frustration.

Recent Activity

Recent issues highlight recurring themes of documentation inadequacy and technical challenges. Issues like #274 (TypeError) and #261 (Missing OpenAPI spec) remain unresolved, indicating persistent user difficulties. The development team has been slow to respond, with many issues marked as "awaiting response" or "stale," reflecting a potential backlog in addressing user concerns.

Development Team Activities

  1. Mark Daoust
    • 11 commits: Updated examples and notebooks; added Data Commons example.
  2. Mark McDonald
    • 11 commits: Adjusted workflows; enhanced documentation.
  3. Guillaume Vernade
    • 9 commits: Improved notebooks; collaborated on internal link updates.
  4. Shilpa Kancharla
    • 4 commits: Reformatted notebooks; added multimodal examples.
  5. CSK
    • 1 commit: Added Dev Container configuration.
  6. Erika Cardenas
    • 1 commit: Created Weaviate example with Gemini API.

Of Note

Quantified Reports

Quantify Issues



Recent GitHub Issues Activity

Timespan Opened Closed Comments Labeled Milestones
7 Days 0 2 0 0 0
30 Days 3 12 6 0 1
90 Days 8 18 31 0 1
All Time 73 55 - - -

Like all software activity quantification, these numbers are imperfect but sometimes useful. Comments, Labels, and Milestones refer to those issues opened in the timespan in question.

Quantify commits



Quantified Commit Activity Over 30 Days

Developer Avatar Branches PRs Commits Files Changes
Shilpa Kancharla (shilpakancharla) 1 1/0/1 4 2 3714
Mark Daoust 3 8/9/0 11 82 3229
Erika Cardenas 1 0/1/0 1 3 1194
Guillaume Vernade 1 11/8/0 9 11 872
Mark McDonald 6 7/4/0 11 10 826
CSK 1 1/1/0 1 2 23
Ray Tien (Ray0907) 0 0/0/1 0 0 0
None (mistakenideas) 0 1/0/0 0 0 0
Krish Dholakia (krrishdholakia) 0 0/0/1 0 0 0
Pablo Sanchez (pablosanchez84) 0 0/0/1 0 0 0

PRs: created by that dev and opened/merged/closed-unmerged during the period

Detailed Reports

Report On: Fetch issues



Recent Activity Analysis

The Google Gemini Cookbook repository has 18 open issues, indicating ongoing user engagement and potential challenges faced by developers. Notably, several issues are marked as "awaiting response," suggesting that users are seeking assistance but may not be receiving timely feedback. A recurring theme is the request for clearer documentation and examples, particularly regarding the handling of specific file types and API functionalities.

Several issues exhibit signs of being unresolved for extended periods, which could lead to frustration among users. For example, issues related to uploading files (PDFs and images) and obtaining JSON responses from models are prevalent, indicating a need for better support in these areas. The presence of stale issues also suggests that some users may have abandoned their inquiries due to a lack of responses.

Issue Details

Recently Created Issues

  1. Issue #274: TypeError: argument of type 'Part' is not iterable

    • Priority: Help
    • Status: Awaiting response
    • Created: 10 days ago
    • Updated: 6 days ago
  2. Issue #265: Add logo in HTML

    • Priority: Help
    • Status: Awaiting response, Stale
    • Created: 23 days ago
    • Updated: 7 days ago
  3. Issue #261: Missing OpenAPI spec

    • Priority: Feature request
    • Status: Awaiting response, Stale
    • Created: 27 days ago
    • Updated: 7 days ago
  4. Issue #241: Cookbook - responseSchema

    • Priority: Feature request
    • Status: Awaiting response, Triaged
    • Created: 67 days ago
    • Updated: 5 days ago
  5. Issue #220: Bug Report the model often starts creating repetitive sequences of tokens

    • Priority: Bug
    • Status: Awaiting response, Stale
    • Created: 83 days ago
    • Updated: 13 days ago

Recently Updated Issues

  1. Issue #93: OpenAPI files for AI Models

    • Priority: Feature request
    • Status: Triaged, Collecting interest
    • Created: 146 days ago
    • Updated: 5 days ago
  2. Issue #66: File upload example for JavaScript returns No file found in request

    • Priority: Bug
    • Status: Awaiting response
    • Created: 155 days ago
    • Updated: 6 days ago
  3. Issue #54: TimeoutError in File_API.ipynb

    • Priority: Bug
    • Status: Awaiting response
    • Created: 158 days ago
    • Updated: 4 days ago
  4. Issue #233: Difference in Output Between PDF and DOC File Upload Methods

    • Priority: Bug
    • Status: Awaiting response, Stale
    • Created: 71 days ago
    • Updated: 28 days ago
  5. Issue #221: "response_schema" results in KeyError

    • Priority: Bug
    • Status: Awaiting response, Stale
    • Created: 82 days ago
    • Updated: 32 days ago

Analysis Implications

The data indicates that while there is active engagement with the project, there are significant gaps in support and documentation that could hinder user experience. The repeated requests for help with file uploads and API specifications suggest that users may struggle to implement features effectively without clearer guidance.

Additionally, the presence of multiple stale issues highlights a potential backlog in addressing user concerns, which could lead to decreased satisfaction and increased reliance on alternative solutions or platforms.

The repository maintainers may need to prioritize responding to these inquiries and enhancing documentation to improve overall usability and developer experience with the Gemini API.

Report On: Fetch pull requests



Report on Pull Requests

Overview

The Google Gemini Cookbook repository has a total of 19 open pull requests (PRs) and 190 closed PRs, indicating ongoing development and community engagement. The recent activity reflects a focus on enhancing examples, improving documentation, and addressing user feedback.

Summary of Pull Requests

Open Pull Requests

  • PR #292: Add Data Commons example
    Created by Mark Daoust, this PR adds a new Jupyter Notebook example demonstrating the use of Data Commons. It is currently awaiting review.

  • PR #291: Add multimodal RAG tutorial
    Submitted by Shilpa Kancharla, this PR introduces a tutorial for multimodal retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). It includes multiple commits for refinement and is also awaiting review.

  • PR #289: Remove markdown in codespace welcome.txt
    Created by Mark McDonald, this PR aims to correct markdown usage in the welcome text for Codespaces. It is awaiting review.

  • PR #287: Code analysis using Gemini, LangChain and DeepLake example
    This PR by Guillaume Vernade provides an example of code analysis using several technologies. It is currently blocked by another PR (#288).

  • PR #285: Improving caching notebooks
    Another contribution from Guillaume Vernade focusing on enhancing the caching notebooks. Awaiting review.

  • PR #279: Use path.join for File API JS sample
    Mark McDonald submitted this PR to improve file path handling in a JavaScript sample. It is awaiting review.

  • PR #278: Function calling improvements
    This PR includes various enhancements to function calling examples, submitted by Guillaume Vernade. It has received some review comments regarding formatting and link validity.

  • PR #275: Fix environment variable for API key used in cURL example
    This PR addresses a mismatch in the environment variable name used in a cURL example, created by a first-time contributor. Awaiting response due to CLA requirements.

  • PR #272: Add issue-metrics workflow
    Mark McDonald added a workflow to analyze issues monthly. Awaiting review.

  • PR #253: Add evaluate RAG with LlamaIndex
    Shilpa Kancharla's PR focuses on evaluation techniques for RAG using LlamaIndex. Awaiting response.

Closed Pull Requests

The closed pull requests include various improvements and fixes, such as:

  • PR #290: Internal links as relative ones
    Merged by Mark McDonald, this PR improved internal linking across notebooks.

  • PR #288: Accept if a file is linked in its folder's README
    This PR enhanced the linking mechanism for files within subfolders and was merged shortly after submission.

  • PR #286: Structured output improvements
    This PR added sections to improve structured output examples and was merged successfully.

  • PR #284: Improving Audio notebook
    Focused on enhancing the audio notebook's usability and clarity, this PR was also merged successfully.

Analysis of Pull Requests

The recent activity within the Google Gemini Cookbook repository illustrates several key themes:

  1. Focus on Examples and Tutorials: A significant number of open pull requests are dedicated to adding new examples and tutorials that leverage the Gemini API's capabilities. This indicates an ongoing effort to expand the educational resources available to users, making it easier for developers to adopt the API in their projects. Notably, PRs like #291 (multimodal RAG tutorial) and #292 (Data Commons example) highlight this trend.

  2. Community Engagement: The presence of contributions from various developers, including first-time contributors, suggests that the project is fostering an inclusive environment for community involvement. The requirement for contributors to sign a Contributor License Agreement (CLA) before their contributions can be reviewed (as seen in PR #275) reflects standard practices in open-source projects but may also slow down the process for new contributors.

  3. Continuous Improvement: Many closed pull requests focus on refining existing notebooks by fixing typos, improving documentation clarity, or enhancing functionality (e.g., PRs #290 and #286). This continuous improvement cycle shows a commitment to maintaining high-quality resources that are user-friendly and informative.

  4. Technical Challenges: Some pull requests face technical challenges or are blocked by other issues (e.g., PR #287 being blocked by #288). This highlights potential bottlenecks in the development process that could delay progress if not addressed promptly.

  5. Diversity of Contributions: The variety of topics covered in both open and closed pull requests—from fixing markdown issues (#289) to adding complex functionalities like caching (#285)—demonstrates the diverse interests of contributors and the multifaceted nature of the Gemini API itself.

  6. Review Process Dynamics: The active discussions around specific pull requests indicate a collaborative review process where contributors engage with each other constructively (as seen in discussions on PR #278). However, there are also instances where contributions remain stagnant due to lack of responses or required actions from contributors (e.g., CLA signing).

In conclusion, the Google Gemini Cookbook repository is actively evolving with a strong emphasis on community contributions, educational resources, and continuous improvement of its offerings. However, attention should be given to streamlining the contribution process for newcomers and ensuring timely reviews to maintain momentum in development activities.

Report On: Fetch commits



Repo Commits Analysis

Development Team and Recent Activity

Team Members and Their Recent Activities

  1. Guillaume Vernade (Giom-V)

    • Recent Commits: 9 commits in the last 30 days.
    • Activities:
    • Improved various notebooks (e.g., Code Execution, Audio, Video, File API) by adding sections for installation dependencies, rephrasing content for clarity, and enhancing explanations.
    • Collaborated with Mark McDonald on multiple improvements.
    • Worked on internal link updates and relative link adjustments in templates.
  2. Mark Daoust (MarkDaoust)

    • Recent Commits: 11 commits in the last 30 days.
    • Activities:
    • Updated examples and notebooks, including significant changes to the Code Execution notebook and the addition of a Data Commons example.
    • Focused on closing stale issues and PRs, as well as improving documentation across various examples.
  3. Mark McDonald (markmcd)

    • Recent Commits: 11 commits in the last 30 days.
    • Activities:
    • Made adjustments to workflows for stale issues and PRs.
    • Contributed to various improvements across notebooks and templates, including closing stale issues and enhancing documentation.
  4. Shilpa Kancharla (shilpakancharla)

    • Recent Commits: 4 commits in the last 30 days.
    • Activities:
    • Reformatted notebooks and added new examples related to multimodal capabilities.
    • Engaged in improving existing examples by removing first-person language and enhancing clarity.
  5. CSK (cr2007)

    • Recent Commits: 1 commit in the last 30 days.
    • Activities:
    • Added Dev Container configuration for better development setup.
  6. Erika Cardenas (erika-cardenas)

    • Recent Commits: 1 commit in the last 30 days.
    • Activities:
    • Created a comprehensive example using Weaviate with Gemini API.

Patterns and Themes

  • Collaboration: There is a strong collaborative effort among team members, particularly between Guillaume Vernade and Mark McDonald, who frequently co-author commits. This indicates a cohesive team dynamic focused on improving documentation and user experience.
  • Focus on Documentation: A significant amount of recent activity revolves around enhancing documentation within notebooks, emphasizing clarity, usability, and instructional content for users of the Gemini API.
  • Active Maintenance: The repository demonstrates active maintenance with regular updates to notebooks, workflows, and examples. The team is responsive to issues, as seen in their efforts to close stale PRs and improve existing content.
  • Feature Enhancements: Recent commits indicate ongoing enhancements to features such as installation instructions, example clarity, and template adjustments which are crucial for user onboarding.

Conclusion

The development team is actively engaged in refining the Google Gemini Cookbook by focusing on documentation quality, feature enhancements, and collaborative improvements. Their recent activities reflect a commitment to maintaining an accessible and informative resource for developers utilizing the Gemini API.