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OSS Report: google/flatbuffers


FlatBuffers Project Sees Surge in Activity with Focus on Language Compatibility and Security Enhancements

FlatBuffers, a cross-platform serialization library designed for memory efficiency, has experienced increased activity, particularly addressing language compatibility and security issues.

Recent Activity

Recent issues and pull requests (PRs) indicate a focus on compatibility across languages like C++, Java, and Python. Key issues include #8401 about the NuGet package release for netstandard2.0 and #8400 regarding licensing conflicts. The backlog of stale issues suggests areas needing attention.

Development Team and Recent Contributions

  1. Ikko Eltociear Ashimine (eltociear)

    • Updated README.md for typo correction.
    • 1 commit, 2 changes in 1 file.
  2. Mikhail (mikhsol)

    • Fixed CVE-2022-25647 by updating Gson version.
    • 1 commit, 2 changes in 1 file.
  3. Björn Harrtell (bjornharrtell)

    • Focused on TypeScript/JavaScript updates.
    • 7 commits, 1792 changes across multiple files.
  4. Derek Bailey (dbaileychess)

    • Co-authored improvements and fixes.
    • Notable contributions but no specific recent commits listed.
  5. Other Members (bkietz, diamant3, TJKoury, hayageek)

    • No recent commits; some have open PRs.

Of Note

The FlatBuffers project is actively maintained with a focus on security, language support, and community collaboration, reflecting a robust development environment.

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Recent GitHub Issues Activity

Timespan Opened Closed Comments Labeled Milestones
7 Days 3 1 1 3 1
30 Days 9 3 5 9 1
90 Days 24 29 13 23 1
1 Year 127 136 243 83 1
All Time 2396 2301 - - -

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.

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Quantified Commit Activity Over 30 Days

Developer Avatar Branches PRs Commits Files Changes
Björn Harrtell (bjornharrtell) 1 1/0/0 7 6 1792
Mikhail 1 1/1/0 1 1 2
Ikko Eltociear Ashimine 1 0/1/0 1 1 2
Benjamin Kietzman (bkietz) 0 1/0/0 0 0 0
TJKoury (TJKoury) 0 1/0/0 0 0 0
Diamond Rivero (diamant3) 0 1/0/0 0 0 0
Ravishanker Kusuma (hayageek) 0 0/0/1 0 0 0

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

Detailed Reports

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Recent Activity Analysis

The FlatBuffers project has recently seen a surge in activity, with 95 open issues currently logged. Notably, several issues have been raised concerning the compatibility and functionality of various language bindings, particularly for C++, Java, and Python. A recurring theme is the need for better handling of union types and the implications of schema changes on backward compatibility. Additionally, there are multiple requests for enhancements to the object API across different languages.

Several issues highlight critical problems, such as #8401 regarding the lack of a new NuGet package release after support for netstandard2.0 was added, and #8400 addressing licensing conflicts in specific files. The presence of stale issues also indicates a backlog that may require attention.

Issue Details

Recent Issues

  1. Issue #8401: Release that supports netstandard2.0?

    • Priority: High
    • Status: Open
    • Created: 4 days ago
    • Update: N/A
    • Details: Request for an ETA on a patch release including support for netstandard2.0.
  2. Issue #8400: tests/fuzzer/flatbuffers_parser_fuzzer.cc indicates BSD-style license but project is subject to Apache 2.0

    • Priority: Medium
    • Status: Open
    • Created: 4 days ago
    • Update: N/A
    • Details: Conflict with license indication requiring clarification.
  3. Issue #8397: C++ verification does not check alignment of Vector

    • Priority: High
    • Status: Open
    • Created: 4 days ago
    • Update: N/A
    • Details: Verification issue leading to incorrect allowances in vector alignments.
  4. Issue #8396: Failure reading with Dart data written/read correctly with TypeScript

    • Priority: Medium
    • Status: Open
    • Created: 12 days ago
    • Update: N/A
    • Details: Discrepancies between Dart and TypeScript data handling.
  5. Issue #8268: How to print nested table using FlatBufferToString?

    • Priority: Low
    • Status: Stale
    • Created: 187 days ago
    • Update: Edited 5 days ago.
    • Details: Request for functionality to enhance output formatting for nested tables.

Important Observations

  • There is a significant focus on ensuring compatibility across various programming languages, especially regarding union types and how they are handled in serialization/deserialization processes.
  • The presence of multiple unresolved issues related to critical features suggests potential risks in upcoming releases if not addressed.
  • The community appears engaged, with several users actively seeking clarifications and enhancements, indicating a robust user base that could contribute to future developments.

Summary

The FlatBuffers project is experiencing active engagement from its user community, with a focus on compatibility and feature enhancements across various programming languages. Several high-priority issues remain unresolved, particularly concerning recent changes and their implications for existing functionalities.

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Overview

The analysis of the provided pull requests (PRs) for the FlatBuffers project reveals a vibrant and active development environment. The PRs cover a wide range of topics, including bug fixes, feature enhancements, and updates to dependencies across multiple programming languages supported by FlatBuffers. The project shows a commitment to maintaining high code quality, security, and performance through regular updates and community contributions.

Summary of Pull Requests

Open Pull Requests

  • PR #8398: Addresses an alignment issue in Rust and C++ code generation for struct types by using ALIGN for Push::alignment().
  • PR #8393: Updates Python test scripts to drop support for Python 2 and allow tests to complete without errors.
  • PR #8360: Fixes an offset issue in the .NET implementation of VerifyUnion, ensuring correct verification of union types.
  • PR #8338: Fixes TypeScript code generation to avoid incorrect imports that include parent directories.
  • PR #8395: Adds prefix variable in the pkg-config file to support porting FlatBuffers to PSP.
  • PR #8394: Upgrades TypeScript dependencies and modifies CI configuration for better compatibility and performance.
  • PR #8385: Corrects a spelling mistake in Swift extension files.
  • PR #8380: Enhances Dart code generation to support recursive imports correctly.
  • PR #8373: Adds support for std::vector<bool, CustomAlloc> in C++ code generation.
  • PR #8367: Adds Automatic-Module-Name directive in Java artifacts for JPMS compatibility.
  • PR #8365: Installs runtime library to bindir and adds library suffix for mingw shared lib.

Closed Pull Requests

  • PR #8387: Updates Gson dependency to fix a security vulnerability (CVE-2022-25647).
  • PR #8383: Corrects a typo in the README.md file.
  • PR #8378: Fixes inclusion of LICENSE file in built Python wheel but was closed without merging as the maintainer made the change directly.

Analysis of Pull Requests

The PRs indicate active maintenance and enhancement efforts across all supported languages of FlatBuffers. The presence of PRs addressing bug fixes, such as alignment issues in C++ and Rust (PR #8398) and offset issues in .NET (PR #8360), highlights the project's commitment to reliability and correctness.

Feature enhancements are also prominent, with PRs like #8394 upgrading TypeScript dependencies and modifying CI configurations for improved performance. This shows an effort to keep up with the latest developments in supported languages and tools.

The addition of new features, such as support for std::vector<bool, CustomAlloc> in C++ (PR #8373) and recursive imports handling in Dart (PR #8380), demonstrates ongoing efforts to expand the capabilities of FlatBuffers.

Security is a priority, as evidenced by PR #8387 updating dependencies to fix known vulnerabilities. This reflects best practices in software development, ensuring that users are protected against potential threats.

The project's community engagement is evident from the variety of contributors and the range of issues being addressed. The quick response to fixing typos or minor issues (e.g., PR #8383) shows attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high-quality documentation.

In conclusion, the FlatBuffers project is actively developed with a focus on enhancing functionality, improving performance, ensuring security, and maintaining high-quality standards across its codebase. The diverse range of PRs reflects a healthy open-source ecosystem with contributions from both individual developers and organizations.

Report On: Fetch commits



Repo Commits Analysis

Development Team and Recent Activity

Team Members and Recent Contributions

  1. Ikko Eltociear Ashimine (eltociear)

    • Recent Activity: Updated README.md for compilation typo correction.
    • Commits: 1 commit, 2 changes in 1 file.
  2. Mikhail (mikhsol)

    • Recent Activity: Fixed CVE-2022-25647 by updating the Gson package version in libs.versions.toml.
    • Commits: 1 commit, 2 changes in 1 file.
  3. Björn Harrtell (bjornharrtell)

    • Recent Activity: Significant activity with 7 commits focusing on TypeScript/JavaScript updates, including dependency upgrades and build configuration changes.
    • Commits: 7 commits, 1792 changes across multiple files.
  4. Derek Bailey (dbaileychess)

    • Recent Activity: Co-authored multiple commits related to various improvements and fixes across the project, including updates to Python and Rust code generation.
    • Commits: Notable contributions over time but no recent specific commits listed in the last 30 days.
  5. Other Members (bkietz, diamant3, TJKoury, hayageek)

    • Recent Activity: No recent commits; some have open pull requests.

Summary of Recent Activities

  • The recent activities primarily involve bug fixes and dependency updates, particularly addressing security vulnerabilities (CVE-2022-25647).
  • Björn Harrtell has been actively working on TypeScript/JavaScript-related updates, indicating a focus on improving the project's JavaScript ecosystem.
  • Collaboration is evident with co-authorship in several commits, particularly involving Derek Bailey.
  • The team appears to be maintaining a steady pace of development with a mix of minor fixes and significant updates.

Patterns and Themes

  • Security Focus: Recent commits reflect an ongoing commitment to addressing security vulnerabilities.
  • Active Maintenance: Continuous updates to dependencies suggest that the team is focused on keeping the project up-to-date with current standards and practices.
  • Collaborative Efforts: Co-authorship indicates a collaborative environment where team members are working together on complex issues.
  • Language-Specific Improvements: There is a clear emphasis on enhancing support for TypeScript/JavaScript, which may align with user demand or project direction.

Conclusions

The FlatBuffers development team is actively engaged in maintaining and improving the project, with recent activities reflecting a strong focus on security, collaboration, and language-specific enhancements. The contributions from various team members indicate a healthy development workflow with ongoing efforts to address both technical debt and feature enhancements.