+1 But I suspect it is not "launch date" but rather "internal autoincrement id #" Which is almost the same.

@manassehkatz no it isn't. It's the list from https://github.com/codidact/community-list/blob/master/communities.json

Ugh. That should absolutely be sitting in a database table.

@manassehkatz Why, though? A public JSON file is arguably easier to maintain and more transparent.

Pardon my ignorance: what’s the difference between a database and a JSON or XML or XLS or the like, in terms of maintenance?

I'm very much a database guy. If this is in the database, then when you add a new community, everything is in the database except for discrete community-specific files (e.g., logos). This way no files need to be updated for a new community - they either exist for specific community or exist (unchanged) for "everyone".

In my ideal setup (which I don't always get to do), with the exception of graphics, there is a grand total of one file that ever changes - containing DB credentials, S3 credentials, key configuration details. Everything else is in the database.

@manassehkatz that JSON file is what we use to publish our community list beyond the sites -- the list on codidact.com, and if you look at TopAnswers you'll see that they include our list of communities just as we include theirs.

But IMNSHO, the JSON file should be an output of the system, which in turn should draw it from the database. Something like codidact.com/communitylist would read the database and spit out JSON.