CSDN's subsidiary, GitCode, is currently engaged in the mass migration of open-source projects from GitHub and is creating homepages for developers

CSDN's GitCode, a code hosting platform, is currently mass migrating open-source projects from GitHub. Not only are they transferring all project information, but they are also creating developer pages for these projects without the real developers' consent.

GitCode, developed by CSDN, aims to quickly gather search engine traffic by replicating substantial amounts of content, a method that seems to be setting the stage for SEO farming to pollute search engine results and boost traffic.

Many developers have noticed their projects being transferred to GitCode. Additionally, CSDN is replacing GitHub project URLs mentioned in CSDN articles with GitCode links.

Given CSDN articles' high ranking in search engines like Google and Baidu, this strategy could swiftly elevate GitCode's visibility, diverting users to GitCode, thereby increasing its traffic significantly.

This situation leaves original project developers powerless since GitCode's project creations and developer pages are automated, and developers have no control over these cloned accounts or projects. CSDN has even gone so far as to replace GitHub links in project README files with GitCode links, potentially misleading users about the projects' genuine locations.

Gitee, a code hosting service under Open Source China, holds a significant market share in China's open-source hosting sector. CSDN's tactics to capture market share, given its history of content replication and claiming originality, are not entirely surprising but remain disconcerting.