Open-source software (OSS) projects depend on community engagement (CE) for longevity. However, CE's quantifiable impact on project dynamics and lifespan is underexplored. Objectives: This study defines CE in OSS, identifies key metrics, and evaluates their influence on project dynamics (releases, commits, branches) and lifespan. Methods: We analyzed 33,946 GitHub repositories, defining and operationalizing CE with validated per-month metrics (issues, comments, watchers, stargazers). Non-parametric tests and correlations assessed relationships with project dynamics and lifespan across quartiles. Results: CE metrics significantly associate with project dynamics, with stronger correlations in highly engaged projects. For lifespan, a complex pattern emerged: per-month CE rates are highest in younger projects, declining with age. Yet, a subset of long-lived projects maintains exceptionally high activity. Initial CE bursts appear crucial for establishment, while sustained high engagement drives extreme longevity. Active issue engagement's influence intensifies with age, but passive attention's declines. Conclusion: CE dynamically drives OSS project longevity and development. Our findings establish validated CE metrics and offer deeper insights into how diverse community activity patterns contribute to project longevity.

翻译：开源软件（OSS）项目的长期存续依赖于社区参与度（CE）。然而，CE 对项目动态和寿命的可量化影响尚未得到充分探究。目标：本研究界定了 OSS 中的 CE，识别了关键度量指标，并评估了它们对项目动态（版本发布、提交、分支）和寿命的影响。方法：我们分析了 33,946 个 GitHub 仓库，使用经过验证的月度指标（议题、评论、关注者、星标数）来定义和操作化 CE。通过非参数检验和相关分析，评估了 CE 与项目动态及寿命在不同分位数上的关系。结果：CE 指标与项目动态显著相关，在高参与度项目中相关性更强。对于寿命，则呈现出复杂模式：月度 CE 率在较年轻的项目中最高，并随项目年龄增长而下降。然而，一部分长寿项目维持了异常高的活跃度。初始的 CE 爆发对项目建立至关重要，而持续的高参与度则驱动了极长的寿命。活跃的议题参与度的影响随项目年龄增长而增强，但被动关注度的影响则减弱。结论：CE 动态地驱动着 OSS 项目的寿命与发展。我们的研究结果建立了一套经过验证的 CE 度量指标，并更深入地揭示了多样化的社区活动模式如何影响项目的长期存续。