Tracing Dependency Dynamics in the Maven Ecosystem

Dependency analysis within large software ecosystems like Maven Central is critical for understanding the structural health and stability of software development. As software grows more reliant on external libraries, developers face challenges in ensuring timely updates, assessing vulnerabilities, and mitigating the risks associated with unmaintained dependencies. The Goblin framework provides a powerful toolset for analyzing these issues at an ecosystem level, offering insights that are crucial for decisionmaking in both individual projects and broader industry practices. This research aims to uncover trends in ecosystem evolution, identify key risk areas, and propose strategies for improving the resilience and sustainability of software projects.