Start with the job
Describe the task without naming a product: transform a recurring export, publish a technical document or diagnose a failing browser journey. Record the inputs, expected result and environment. A project is relevant when it solves that task within the constraints; a large star count cannot answer those questions for you.
Read the evidence
Inspect the README, installation instructions, issue discussion and release history. Follow a concrete issue through to its resolution rather than counting commits in isolation. Useful evidence has a source and a date. A fast release cadence can show activity, but it does not automatically prove stability, security or fit for your environment.
Understand the terms and ownership
Read the license that applies to the version and components you intend to use. Public code does not necessarily grant unrestricted commercial use. Identify who will update the tool, where credentials live and what happens when an external API changes. These checks belong beside the functionality description, not in a footnote discovered after deployment.
Make the exit path concrete
Try a small representative task before migration. Export the resulting data, record the dependencies and identify a replacement path. Our editorial standard is to state the use case, limitations and evidence together. When a claim has not been tested, label it as a documentation-based assessment rather than presenting it as hands-on validation.