What Are Open Infrastructure Evaluation Frameworks Really For? | Katina Magazine

"The past decade has seen a proliferation of tools and frameworks designed to help organizations assess open-source software and open infrastructure. These frameworks include parameters like technical health metrics, governance principles, sustainability indicators, and community engagement measures, reflecting a growing recognition that “openness” alone doesn’t guarantee quality, longevity, or trustworthiness.

These frameworks emerged from real needs in the scholarly communication ecosystem. Funders wanted ways to evaluate which projects deserved investment. Institutions needed criteria for choosing platforms that would serve their communities reliably. Infrastructure providers themselves sought guidance on what “healthy” looked like in practice, meaning not just that code was technically sound, but also that it was maintained by sustainable organizations with inclusive communities and transparent operations."