elephant-factor.mdx

{/* Copyright 2025 Zentrum für Digitale Souveränität der Öffentlichen Verwaltung (ZenDiS) GmbH.
SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT */}

import { Callout } from 'nextra/components'

# Elephant Factor

<Callout type="default">
  Check type: `ELEPHANT_FACTOR`
</Callout>

This check calculates the elephant factor of a project for a given time range.
The check passes if the elephant factor is greater than or equal to the minimum threshold.

```yaml filename=".badge-api.yaml" copy
- type: ELEPHANT_FACTOR
  description: Checks if multiple companies are working on the project.
  threshold:
    timeRangeInMonths: 6
    min: 2
```

### Background

The elephant factor is a measure of the risk resulting from information and capabilities not being shared among organizations.

It is similar to the [bus factor](/concepts/implemented-checks/bus-factor) but instead of measuring the risk of losing individuals,
it measures the risk of losing organizations.

For example, if a project has an elephant factor of 2, it means that the 2 most important organizations are responsible for 50% of the commits
and after both are gone, the project would be in danger.