What the Idle and Links Columns Mean in the CGSecurity Git Index

The CGSecurity git index at git.cgsecurity.org lists each repository with an Idle column showing how long since its last activity, and a Links column offering three direct views into the code: summary, log, and tree. Together they let you judge whether a project is actively maintained and jump straight to the part of the repository you need.

The index at a glance

The page is a lightweight web interface to CGSecurity's git repositories. Each row describes one project:

The interface is generated by cgit, so the layout and link behavior follow standard cgit conventions.

What "Idle" tells you

Idle is a relative time stamp, not an absolute date. It answers one question: how long has this repository been quiet?

• Short values (hours or days) suggest recent commits or other activity.
• Long values (months or years) suggest the project has not changed recently.

In the current listing, testdisk shows 38 hours while cmospwd shows 3 years. Read that as a signal about maintenance rhythm, not as a verdict on quality — a stable, finished tool can sit idle for years without being abandoned.

How to use it

• Scanning for active development? Sort your attention toward small Idle values.
• Looking for a mature, settled codebase? A large Idle value is not automatically a problem.
• Treat Idle as a hint, then confirm by opening the log to see the actual commit history.

What the "Links" column gives you

Each repository exposes three views, and each answers a different question:

• summary — the overview page: description, recent commits, and general repository metadata. Start here for orientation.
• log — the commit history. Use it to see what changed and when, which is the reliable way to verify activity rather than relying on Idle alone.
• tree — the file and directory browser. Use it to read or download source without cloning.

Typical workflow

1. Find the project row (for example, testdisk).
2. Click summary to confirm it is the repository you want.
3. Click log to check recent changes and commit messages.
4. Click tree to navigate to the specific file or directory.

Common points to keep in mind

• Idle is relative and moves. A value shown as "38 hours" will change as new activity occurs; it is not a fixed attribute.
• Idle does not say who or what changed. Only the log shows the nature of the activity.
• Links are read-only views. They are for browsing and inspecting code, not for pushing changes.
• Names and owners are the fastest disambiguators. If two repositories look similar, the Owner column separates them.