Simon Willison: GitHub Repo Stats — Commit Count Visibility Tool for Mobile and Repository Evaluation

Simon Willison·low signal

Willison built a tool to surface GitHub repository commit counts, which aren't visible on GitHub's mobile layout. He uses commit count as a key signal when evaluating new repositories — high star count with few commits may indicate hype over substance. A practical heuristic for builders evaluating open-source dependencies, especially relevant as AI-generated repos proliferate.