Cloudsmith launches Navigator, a game-changer for open-source package selection

Cloudsmith has launched a search engine designed to empower software engineers to select the highest quality packages early in their development.

Cloudsmith, a pioneer in cloud-native software supply chain management, has launched Navigator, an innovative search engine designed to empower software engineering teams to select the highest quality packages early in their development lifecycle.

Navigator slashes the time it takes for engineers to find the most appropriate packages, saving both time and money and creating a more streamlined development process.

It integrates and meticulously analyses data from tens of thousands of the most widely used open-source software packages, spanning the most popular public indexes, including NPM, PyPi, RubyGems and Maven. It assigns each package a unique quality score, based on a comprehensive evaluation of adherence to stringent security standards, maintenance metrics and documentation.

Glenn Weinstein, Chief Executive of Cloudsmith, said Navigator represents “a significant leap forward in simplifying the challenging process of choosing open-source packages for software projects.”

He explained the motivation behind the creation of Navigator:

"Like most software engineering teams, we regularly search for software packages to help us get our work done. However, finding and selecting the right open-source package for a project is a tricky and delicate balancing act.

“The ideal package doesn't exist, but Navigator can help teams discover the best package for the job. It cuts through the noise and asks the vital question, ‘Is the package any good, and should I use it in my project?' We believe this tool will be invaluable to software engineering teams, and we are excited to make it available to the software community."

Weinstein continued:

“Navigator's unique quality scoring system enables engineering teams to make informed decisions while choosing open-source packages. By considering factors such as security, maintenance and documentation, Navigator is empowering developers to strike the ideal balance between functionality and reliability.”

Cloudsmith is committed to expanding Navigator's capabilities further. It plans to continue to add more packages to its database and enhance the quality scoring system with real-world usage data, thanks to its SaaS cloud architecture, which provides anonymised data on how software is built.

With this insight, the platform can observe trends at scale, identify the packages and versions that make it into build pipelines and continually improve the quality scoring system.

Weinstein added:

“Cloudsmith Navigator is set to become an invaluable resource for software engineering teams, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and streamline the process of selecting open-source packages. By simplifying and improving this crucial aspect of software development, Navigator reinforces Cloudsmith's commitment to providing secure, efficient and reliable software delivery solutions.”

For more information on Cloudsmith Navigator, please visit https://cloudsmith.com/navigator.

Cloudsmith is a Belfast-headquartered software company that offers a cloud-based software supply chain management platform

As, a trusted partner for software developers and organizations, Cloudsmith provides artifact storage, management and distribution solutions

The company is committed to ensuring secure, reliable and efficient software delivery for its clients, making it an essential component of the software development ecosystem