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GitHub Follower Analysis: Discovering Your One-Way Connections

Have you ever wondered which GitHub developers you're following don't reciprocate the connection? Unlike social media platforms that clearly show mutual connections, GitHub doesn't provide an easy way to see who follows you back. This article explains a fun Ruby script that solves this problem by revealing your one-sided GitHub relationships. The Social Imbalance on GitHub GitHub, while primarily a code-hosting platform, also functions as a social network for developers. You can follow other developers to stay updated on their activities, contributions, and projects. However, GitHub's interface doesn't explicitly show whether someone you follow also follows you back. This asymmetry creates an interesting dynamic - you might be following hundreds of developers, but how many of them are following you in return? The script we're discussing today bridges this information gap. The Script #!/usr/bin/env ruby require 'net/http' require 'json' require 'optparse' # Class that handles checking GitHub follower relationships class GitHubFollowerChecker BASE_URL = "https://api.github.com" # Initialize with username and optional authentication token def initialize(username, token = nil) @username = username @token = token @headers = { 'Accept' => 'application/vnd.github.v3+json' } @headers['Authorization'] = "token #{token}" if token end # Get all users the specified user is following def get_following fetch_all_pages("#{BASE_URL}/users/#{@username}/following") end # Get all followers of the specified user def get_followers fetch_all_pages("#{BASE_URL}/users/#{@username}/followers") end # Find users you follow who don't follow you back def find_not_following_back puts "Fetching users you follow..." following = get_following puts "Fetching your followers..." followers = get_followers following_usernames = following.map { |user| user['login'] } follower_usernames = followers.map { |user| user['login'] } puts "Analyzing relationships..." following_usernames - follower_usernames end private # Helper method to fetch all pages of results from the GitHub API def fetch_all_pages(url, results = []) uri = URI(url) begin response = Net::HTTP.start(uri.hostname, uri.port, use_ssl: true) do |http| request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri) @headers.each { |key, value| request[key] = value } http.request(request) end case response.code when '200' page_results = JSON.parse(response.body) results.concat(page_results) # Handle pagination using the Link header if response['link']&.include?('rel="next"') next_link = response['link'].split(',').find { |link| link.include?('rel="next"') } if next_link next_url = next_link.match(//)[1] print "." # Show progress fetch_all_pages(next_url, results) end end when '401' puts "\nError: Authentication failed. Check your token." exit 1 when '403' puts "\nError: Rate limit exceeded. Use a token or wait before trying again." exit 1 when '404' puts "\nError: User '#{@username}' not found." exit 1 else puts "\nError: #{response.code} - #{response.message}" puts JSON.parse(response.body)['message'] if response.body exit 1 end rescue SocketError puts "\nError: Could not connect to GitHub. Check your internet connection." exit 1 rescue JSON::ParserError puts "\nError: Invalid response from GitHub." exit 1 end results end end # Main script execution def main # Parse command line options options = {} OptionParser.new do |opts| opts.banner = "Usage: github_follower_checker.rb -u USERNAME [-t TOKEN]" opts.on("-u", "--username USERNAME", "GitHub username") do |username| options[:username] = username end opts.on("-t", "--token TOKEN", "GitHub personal access token (recommended to avoid rate limits)") do |token| options[:token] = token end opts.on("-h", "--help", "Show this help message") do puts opts exit end end.parse! # Validate required parameters if options[:username].nil? puts "Error: GitHub username is required" puts "Usage: github_follower_checker.rb -u USERNAME [-t TOKEN]" exit 1 end # Execute the check checker = GitHubFollowerChecker.new(options[:username], options[:token]) not_following_back = checker.find_not_following_back # Display results puts "\nGitHub users you follow who don't follow you back (#{not_following_back.count}):" if not_following_back.empty? puts "Everyone you follow also follows you back!

Apr 1, 2025 - 10:34
 0
GitHub Follower Analysis: Discovering Your One-Way Connections

Have you ever wondered which GitHub developers you're following don't reciprocate the connection? Unlike social media platforms that clearly show mutual connections, GitHub doesn't provide an easy way to see who follows you back. This article explains a fun Ruby script that solves this problem by revealing your one-sided GitHub relationships.

The Social Imbalance on GitHub

GitHub, while primarily a code-hosting platform, also functions as a social network for developers. You can follow other developers to stay updated on their activities, contributions, and projects. However, GitHub's interface doesn't explicitly show whether someone you follow also follows you back.

This asymmetry creates an interesting dynamic - you might be following hundreds of developers, but how many of them are following you in return? The script we're discussing today bridges this information gap.

The Script 

#!/usr/bin/env ruby

require 'net/http'
require 'json'
require 'optparse'

# Class that handles checking GitHub follower relationships
class GitHubFollowerChecker
  BASE_URL = "https://api.github.com"

  # Initialize with username and optional authentication token
  def initialize(username, token = nil)
    @username = username
    @token = token
    @headers = { 'Accept' => 'application/vnd.github.v3+json' }
    @headers['Authorization'] = "token #{token}" if token
  end

  # Get all users the specified user is following
  def get_following
    fetch_all_pages("#{BASE_URL}/users/#{@username}/following")
  end

  # Get all followers of the specified user
  def get_followers
    fetch_all_pages("#{BASE_URL}/users/#{@username}/followers")
  end

  # Find users you follow who don't follow you back
  def find_not_following_back
    puts "Fetching users you follow..."
    following = get_following

    puts "Fetching your followers..."
    followers = get_followers

    following_usernames = following.map { |user| user['login'] }
    follower_usernames = followers.map { |user| user['login'] }

    puts "Analyzing relationships..."
    following_usernames - follower_usernames
  end

  private

  # Helper method to fetch all pages of results from the GitHub API
  def fetch_all_pages(url, results = [])
    uri = URI(url)

    begin
      response = Net::HTTP.start(uri.hostname, uri.port, use_ssl: true) do |http|
        request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
        @headers.each { |key, value| request[key] = value }
        http.request(request)
      end

      case response.code
      when '200'
        page_results = JSON.parse(response.body)
        results.concat(page_results)

        # Handle pagination using the Link header
        if response['link']&.include?('rel="next"')
          next_link = response['link'].split(',').find { |link| link.include?('rel="next"') }
          if next_link
            next_url = next_link.match(/<(.+?)>/)[1]
            print "." # Show progress
            fetch_all_pages(next_url, results)
          end
        end
      when '401'
        puts "\nError: Authentication failed. Check your token."
        exit 1
      when '403'
        puts "\nError: Rate limit exceeded. Use a token or wait before trying again."
        exit 1
      when '404'
        puts "\nError: User '#{@username}' not found."
        exit 1
      else
        puts "\nError: #{response.code} - #{response.message}"
        puts JSON.parse(response.body)['message'] if response.body
        exit 1
      end
    rescue SocketError
      puts "\nError: Could not connect to GitHub. Check your internet connection."
      exit 1
    rescue JSON::ParserError
      puts "\nError: Invalid response from GitHub."
      exit 1
    end

    results
  end
end

# Main script execution
def main
  # Parse command line options
  options = {}
  OptionParser.new do |opts|
    opts.banner = "Usage: github_follower_checker.rb -u USERNAME [-t TOKEN]"

    opts.on("-u", "--username USERNAME", "GitHub username") do |username|
      options[:username] = username
    end

    opts.on("-t", "--token TOKEN", "GitHub personal access token (recommended to avoid rate limits)") do |token|
      options[:token] = token
    end

    opts.on("-h", "--help", "Show this help message") do
      puts opts
      exit
    end
  end.parse!

  # Validate required parameters
  if options[:username].nil?
    puts "Error: GitHub username is required"
    puts "Usage: github_follower_checker.rb -u USERNAME [-t TOKEN]"
    exit 1
  end

  # Execute the check
  checker = GitHubFollowerChecker.new(options[:username], options[:token])
  not_following_back = checker.find_not_following_back

  # Display results
  puts "\nGitHub users you follow who don't follow you back (#{not_following_back.count}):"
  if not_following_back.empty?
    puts "Everyone you follow also follows you back!
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