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Guide · Open source

How to use Github-Ranking: browse popular GitHub projects by language

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

Github-Ranking is an open-source README-based directory from EvanLi that lists GitHub projects ranked by star count and fork count. It has top-10 tables for the most stars and most forks, plus a table for each programming language with links to fuller top-100 lists. This guide shows you how to read the tables, find projects in a language you care about, and get a local copy of the repository.

Github RankingEvanLi/Github-Ranking · ★ 12.8k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Open the README. Go to the Github-Ranking repository page on GitHub and read the last automatic update time at the top.
  2. 2Check the Most Stars table. Scan the top-10 table for the most-starred projects and note the Stars, Forks and Last Commit columns.
  3. 3Check the Most Forks table. Look at the Most Forks section to see which projects are forked most often.
  4. 4Pick a language. Use the Table of Contents to jump to the language you want, such as Python or Rust.
  5. 5Open a top-100 list. Follow the link under a language or section to see a longer ranking.
  6. 6Clone the repository if needed. Run git clone https://github.com/EvanLi/Github-Ranking in a terminal to keep a local copy.

What Github-Ranking is and what it is not

Github-Ranking is a static list, not a software tool. You read it in your browser on GitHub, and it contains no program you install or run.

The README says the rankings are updated automatically and shows a last-update timestamp near the top of the page. Check that timestamp before relying on the numbers, because the figures change over time.

  • It ranks projects by popularity (stars and forks), not by quality.
  • It is a README-based directory, so the data lives in the page itself.

Read the Most Stars and Most Forks tables

The Most Stars and Most Forks sections each show a top-10 table. Every row gives the project name (linked to its GitHub page), its stars, its forks, its language, its number of open issues, a short description, and the date of its last commit.

Each section links to a top-100 list for a longer view. Use the Ranking column to see position, and the Last Commit column to see whether a popular project is still actively maintained.

  • Project Name: links to the repository on GitHub.
  • Stars and Forks: the popularity counts used for ranking.
  • Open Issues and Last Commit: hints about current activity.

Find projects in a specific language

The Table of Contents lists programming languages in alphabetical order, from ActionScript to Vim script. Click a language to jump to its top-10 table.

Each language section has a link labelled as the top 100 list for that language, which opens a fuller ranking for that language.

  • Open the Table of Contents at the top of the README.
  • Pick a language such as Python, Rust or TypeScript.
  • Follow the link for the top-100 list if the top 10 is not enough.

Get a local copy of the repository

If you want the files on your own computer, the README gives a clone command. Run it in a terminal where you keep your projects.

Cloning copies the repository, including the Markdown files that hold the rankings and the Top100 folder that the links point to.

git clone https://github.com/EvanLi/Github-Ranking

Compare with similar lists

Several well-known lists in the same space appear in the rankings themselves, such as awesome, free-programming-books and public-apis. These are curated collections rather than popularity rankings, so they answer a different question.

Use Github-Ranking when you want to know which projects are most starred or forked. Use a curated list when you want projects chosen for a topic or purpose.

  • Github-Ranking: popularity by stars and forks, updated automatically.
  • awesome: a curated list of awesome lists.
  • free-programming-books: freely available programming books.
  • public-apis: a collective list of free APIs.

What people use it for

  • Finding popular open-source projects in a language you are learning.
  • Students looking for well-known learning repositories to explore.
  • Seeing which GitHub projects have the most stars or forks for a general overview.
  • Comparing the popularity of projects within the same language.

Frequently asked questions

Is Github-Ranking free and what is its licence?

Github-Ranking is licensed under the MIT licence, as stated on the repository page. The README also includes sponsorship links, but the source does not describe any paid features.

Do I need to install anything to use Github-Ranking?

No. The install method is read-online and no prerequisites are listed. You can browse the rankings directly on GitHub, and the clone command is only needed if you want a local copy.

How often is the ranking updated?

The README says the rankings are updated automatically and shows a last automatic update time. Check that timestamp on the page to see how current the data is.

Does a high ranking mean a project is good?

Not necessarily. The ranking reflects popularity by stars and forks, not a vetted quality review. Use it to find well-known projects, then check each project's own documentation and activity.

What is the difference between stars and forks in this list?

The Most Stars table ranks projects by star count, and the Most Forks table ranks them by fork count. The two tables can show different projects at the top.

What are alternatives to Github-Ranking?

The README lists comparable projects such as awesome, free-programming-books and public-apis. These are curated collections rather than popularity rankings, so choose based on whether you want popularity or curation.

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Our verdict

Github-Ranking suits developers, students and curious readers who want to see which popular open-source projects exist, especially within a specific language. It is not a tool to install or run, and it is not a quality review, so pick a curated list such as awesome if you want projects chosen for suitability.

Install options & downloads