Contributions to public repository shows up in "Pulse" but not contributor graphs and lists?

[kasperl]

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Hi there!

I'm trying to understand why my contributions to https://github.com/v8/v8 show up on the Pulse page:

https://github.com/v8/v8/pulse

but not on the Contributor graph page:

https://github.com/v8/v8/graphs/contributors

My commits to the repository are linked to my GitHub account. Here is an example:

https://github.com/v8/v8/commit/5671f5f43818674112b5125f52eab2484a50eeb3

I have read the troubleshooting guides, etc. but I can't figure out what is causing this.

[davevad93]

Hi @kasperl,

This is because only the top 100 contributors are listed. The repo has a total of 633 contributors, so if you are not listed, it's because you aren't one of the top 100. This is the default behavior for any repo on GitHub.

[kasperl]

@davevad93 Thank you! That might make sense. Over which period do you need to be in top 100? Last week, last month, last year, all time? It's kinda wonky if it's all time, but that is pretty much the only thing that would explain this :)

Also I don't see the contributions on my own contribution activities, which is an indication that something else is going on. See https://github.com/kasperl.

[davevad93]

Hey @kasperl you're welcome. To appear on the list, you have to be among the top 100 all-time contributors (based on the number of commits made to the repo).

I've looked carefully at your commits and yes, everything seems to be fine, your commit email is correct and your commits have been merged into the master branch, although I have noticed something odd: the commits you made in the V8 org do not show up in the activity graph, while others made on other orgs do show up. Since everything seems to be fine, the only thing I can think of is that if you're using an SSH key to push to the remote repo, there may be a discrepancy. A while back, a colleague of mine had a similar problem, and it turned out that the issue was that he had pushed some commits using a different device with a different SSH Key.

[mccharliesins]

Hi @kasperl! 👋

Great question! There are actually several factors that could explain why your contributions appear in Pulse but not in the Contributors graph or your personal profile.

Contributors Graph Limitation

@davevad93 is correct about the top 100 limit, but let me add more context:

• The Contributors graph shows the top 100 contributors by total commit count (all-time)
• This ranking is based on the number of commits, not lines of code or impact
• For a repository like V8 with 633+ contributors, you'd need to be among the most prolific committers historically

Why It's Not on Your Personal Profile

This is the more concerning issue. Contributions might not appear on your personal GitHub profile for several reasons:

1. Email Configuration

The most common cause:

• Your commit email must match an email associated with your GitHub account
• Check your commit email: git log --format='%ae' -1 <commit-hash>
• Verify it's added to your GitHub account: Settings → Emails
• If using a work email, ensure it's verified on GitHub

2. Commit Authorship vs. Committer

• GitHub tracks the author email, not the committer email
• If someone else merged your PR, they might be the "committer"
• Check: git log --format='Author: %an <%ae>%nCommitter: %cn <%ce>' -1 <commit-hash>

3. Default Branch Contributions

Contributions only count if they're on the repository's default branch (usually main or master).

4. Repository Fork Status

Contributions to forked repositories don't appear on your profile unless:

• The fork has more stars than the parent repository, OR
• You're the owner of the fork

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Verify your commit email:

   git show --format='%ae' <your-commit-hash>

2. Check your GitHub emails:

   • Go to GitHub Settings → Emails
   • Ensure the commit email is listed and verified

3. Check if V8 is a fork:

   • The official V8 repository is v8/v8
   • If you contributed to a different fork, that could explain it

4. Verify branch:

   • Ensure your commits are on V8's default branch (likely main)

Quick Fix

If it's an email mismatch:

1. Add the commit email to your GitHub account
2. GitHub should retroactively recognize your contributions within 24 hours

Let me know if you'd like help checking any of these specific points!

[mccharliesins]

GitHub Contributor Status: Complete Guide 🔍

Hey @kasperl! 👋

This is an excellent question that many developers encounter. Let me provide a comprehensive explanation of how GitHub calculates contributor status and why contributions might appear in some places but not others.

How GitHub Calculates Contributor Status

Core Requirements for Attribution

1. Email Match Requirements:

• Your commit author email must exactly match an email address verified on your GitHub account
• Case sensitivity matters: [email protected] ≠ [email protected]
• The email must be verified in your GitHub account settings

2. Commit Authorship vs. Committer:

• GitHub tracks the author email, not the committer email
• When PRs are merged via "Squash and merge", the original author is preserved
• When using "Merge commit", both author and committer are tracked
• Verify with: git log --format='Author: %an <%ae>%nCommitter: %cn <%ce>' -1

3. Branch Requirements:

• Contributions only count if they're merged into the default branch (main/master)
• Feature branch commits don't count until merged
• Direct pushes to default branch count immediately

Why Pulse Shows Everything but Graphs Don't

Pulse (Activity Feed)

• Shows all recent activity regardless of contributor status
• Includes commits, PRs, issues, releases, and other events
• No filtering based on email attribution
• Tracks repository activity, not contributor credit

Contributor Graphs & Lists

• Only shows properly attributed contributions
• Requires email/author verification
• Limited to top 100 contributors (ranked by total commits)
• Filtered by contribution counting rules

Specific Scenarios That Cause Attribution Issues

1. Bot and Automated Commits

# These won't appear in contributor graphs:
Author: dependabot[bot] <[email protected]>
Author: github-actions[bot] <[email protected]>
Author: renovate[bot] <[email protected]>

2. Corporate Email Issues

• Work emails need to be added to your personal GitHub account
• Some organizations use commit signing that changes attribution
• VPN/proxy setups may affect email recognition

3. Fork Contribution Rules

Contributions to forks don't appear on your profile unless:

• The fork has more stars than the parent repository, OR
• You're the owner of the fork
• Original repository contributions always count (if properly attributed)

4. Merge Strategy Impact

| Merge Type | Author Preserved | Committer |
|------------|------------------|-----------||
| Merge commit | ✅ Original | Merger |
| Squash and merge | ✅ Original | Merger |
| Rebase and merge | ✅ Original | Original |

Troubleshooting Your V8 Contributions

Step 1: Verify Commit Attribution

# Check the specific commit you mentioned
git show --format='%an <%ae>' 5671f5f43818674112b5125f52eab2484a50eeb3

# Or check recent commits
git log --format='%an <%ae>' --max-count=5

Step 2: Check Your GitHub Email Settings

1. Go to GitHub Settings → Emails
2. Verify the commit email is listed and verified
3. If missing, add it and verify via the confirmation email

Step 3: Verify Repository Details

Since you're contributing to v8/v8:

• ✅ This is the official V8 repository (not a fork)
• ✅ Your commits are on the main branch
• ❓ Check if you're in the top 100 contributors by commit count

Step 4: Check Contribution Graph Rules

The v8/v8 repository has 633+ contributors, so the contributor graph only shows the top 100 by total commit count (all-time). Even if your recent contributions are significant, you need to be among the most prolific committers historically.

Email Verification Commands

# Check commit email for a specific commit
git show --format='%ae' <commit-hash>

# Check if email matches GitHub account
# Compare with your emails at: https://github.com/settings/emails

# Check multiple recent commits
git log --format='%ae' --max-count=10 | sort | uniq

Official Documentation & Resources

• GitHub Contribution Guidelines
• Commit Attribution
• Email Settings
• Repository Insights

Quick Fix Checklist

1. Verify commit email: git config user.email
2. Add email to GitHub: Settings → Emails → Add email address
3. Verify the email: Check your inbox for GitHub verification
4. Wait 24 hours: GitHub updates contribution graphs daily
5. Check private email settings: Ensure "Keep my email addresses private" doesn't conflict

Expected Timeline

• Email verification: Immediate after clicking confirmation link
• Contribution graph updates: 24-48 hours after email verification
• Profile activity: Usually updates within a few hours

If none of these steps resolve the issue, there might be a specific attribution problem with the V8 repository workflow or your commit setup. Let me know the results of the email verification steps!

Hope this helps! 🚀

[kasperl]

Thank you for the very well-structured response! I haven't been able to find the problem yet.

[kasperl]

So, as I mentioned the commits are already linked to my account which is an indication that the commit email and my account match.

The commits are attributed to Kasper Lund <[email protected]> according to git show --format='%an <%ae>' and as expected that looks correct.

[github-actions[bot]]

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