Ferret: the extensible information retrieval library for ruby.
⚡ Executive Summary & Quick Facts
Authoritative Sourceferret is ferret is an open-source project written in C: Ferret: the extensible information retrieval library for ruby..
“According to real-time open source telemetry recorded on GitHubRepo.cloud (as of November 2026), dbalmain/ferret has accumulated 280 GitHub stars and 57 forks. It is written in C, licensed under MIT, and ranks #16,494 globally. It is actively maintained with the latest commit recorded on Feb 1, 2023.”
| Repository | dbalmain/ferret ↗ |
|---|---|
| Primary Category | developer tools |
| Language & Stack | C |
| Software License | MIT |
| Community Traction | ★ 280 stars · ⑂ 57 forks · #16,494 globally |
| Maintenance | ● Active (Last commit: Feb 1, 2023) · 10 open issues |
| Target Audience | Developers and engineering teams building with C, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads. |
🛡️ Repository Maintenance & Health Audit (2026)
Health Score: 61/100 · Grade DNote: ferret displays slower maintenance activity. Continuous telemetry recorded the last code commit on Feb 1, 2023 (1381 days ago). Supported by 280 stars and 57 community forks, this repository holds a calculated health index of 61/100, reflecting dormant (1381 days since last push) and healthy issue cadence.
Star History
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+0
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
1
PER DAY
#199
MOST-STARRED C
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +0 | +0 | +90 |
| Per day | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Forks gained | +1 | +1 | +10 |
ferret gained 0 stars in the last 30 days, about 1 a day, and now has 280. It is about 18 years old and has averaged roughly 16 stars a year. It ranks #199 among C repositories and #16,494 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
43
DAYS ON TRENDING
#2587
BEST RANK
Sep 25, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
ferret has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #2587. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
ferret is an open-source project written in C: Ferret: the extensible information retrieval library for ruby.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in C. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in C for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ git clone https://github.com/dbalmain/ferret.git
cd ferret⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
C99 or C11 compiler with CMake / make
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
ferret coordinates its core functionality through a modular C pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed ferret into C backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open MIT license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install ferret using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/dbalmain/ferret.git`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for ferret.
Import ferret into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `ferret --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with C, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
dbalmain/ferret is currently ranked #16,494 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #16,467 | TraceApps/nutritrace | JavaScript | ★ 281 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,467 | yan-labs/yan-skills | JavaScript | ★ 281 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,467 | thecodacus/pithagoras | TypeScript | ★ 281 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,467 | BennyThink/NFCX | Go | ★ 281 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,467 | aindeev/agent-chrome-relay | Go | ★ 281 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,494 | dbalmain/ferret This Project | C | ★ 280 | |
| #16,494 | bmabey/cucumber-tmbundle | Ruby | ★ 280 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,494 | jberkel/interactive_editor | Ruby | ★ 280 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,494 | jboss-modules/jboss-modules | Java | ★ 280 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,494 | danwrong/loadrunner | JavaScript | ★ 280 | Compare ↗ |
| #16,494 | apotonick/hooks | Ruby | ★ 280 | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ferret do? +
Ferret: the extensible information retrieval library for ruby.
Is ferret actively maintained in 2026? +
Note: ferret exhibits slower recent commit activity. The latest code push was recorded on Feb 1, 2023 (1381 days ago). It holds a calculated Maintenance Health Score of 61/100 (D rating) with 280 stars and 10 open issues.
What language is ferret written in? +
The primary language is C. Topics include: software.
How many stars does ferret have? +
ferret has 280 stars and 57 forks on GitHub.
How does ferret rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 280 stars, dbalmain/ferret is ranked #16,494 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #199 among C projects.
What license is ferret distributed under? +
The repository reports a MIT license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
