Feature Request: Webhook Event for Repository ZIP Downloads

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Feature Request: Webhook Event for Repository ZIP Downloads

Description

Currently, there is no way to track when a repository is downloaded as a ZIP file through GitHub's API or webhook system. This feature would be incredibly useful for repository owners who want to monitor the popularity and usage of their projects beyond just stars and forks.

Proposed Solution

Implement a new webhook event that triggers when a repository is downloaded as a ZIP file. This event could be named repository_download or similar.

Event Payload

The event payload could include:

• repository: The repository that was downloaded
• sender: The user who initiated the download (if authenticated)
• timestamp: When the download occurred
• download_type: e.g., "zip", "tar.gz"
• ref: The branch or tag that was downloaded (if applicable)

Use Cases

1. Analytics: Repository owners can track how often their project is downloaded.
2. Security: Organizations can monitor unexpected or frequent downloads of private repositories.
3. Community Engagement: Project maintainers can reach out to users who download the project to offer support or gather feedback.

Potential Challenges

• Privacy considerations for unauthenticated downloads
• Potential for high event volume on popular repositories
• Distinguishing between different types of downloads (ZIP, tarball, etc.)

Additional Context

This feature would complement existing analytics like clone statistics and provide a more comprehensive view of repository usage and popularity.

Would this feature be useful to you?

Yes, I am developing a GitHub integration application that would greatly benefit from the ability to track repository downloads for our users.

Thank you for considering this feature request!

[github-actions[bot]]

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