Why Asking “Any Updates?” Hurts Open‑Source Projects and What to Do Instead

While browsing the Pydantic GitHub repository I encountered a familiar comment and a link:

Any updates on this? https://justinmayer.com/posts/any-updates/

Following the link led me to Justin Mayer’s article “Any updates?” and prompted me to share its main points and my thoughts.

In the open‑source world it’s common to see someone discover an issue, notice that the last comment is weeks old, and then leave a comment asking “Any updates?” or “有什么最新进展吗？”.

Why You Shouldn’t Ask That

If an issue has new information it will appear directly in the issue thread, visible to everyone.

Open‑source projects are transparent; there are no private meetings or hidden plans.

Therefore, asking “Any updates?” adds no value but generates a meaningless notification for all subscribers, many of whom are unpaid contributors or maintainers who spend their free time improving the project.

What Should You Do Instead?

Wanting to know progress is understandable, but a more valuable approach is:

Fund the project Maintainers have limited time. Even a small donation can motivate continued work more than a simple “Any updates?” query.

Contribute time If you can’t donate, consider offering help. For example, leave a comment like:

“Thank you to everyone contributing to this project! How can I help to move this issue forward?”

This shows friendliness and a willingness to collaborate.

Do nothing (actually) If you can’t donate or contribute, the kindest choice may be to simply wait and let maintainers progress at their own pace.

Don’t Use Comments to Subscribe

Some people post “Any updates?” just to receive future notifications. Instead, click the “Subscribe” button on the GitHub page to get updates without extra comments.

Stay Friendly

“I hope this gets resolved soon, but it seems no one is working on it yet.”

This wording puts pressure on maintainers. Open‑source projects need understanding and support, not催更 (pushy reminders).

“If you can help, contribute; if you can’t, be patient.”

💫 Your kindness and respect make the world a better place.

My Take

These “Any updates?” comments are irritating and amount to a kind of “free‑riding” pressure.

Next time you see such a comment, simply share the link to this article and let the asker read it.

Reference

Original article: https://shenxianpeng.github.io/posts/2025/any-updates/