Principle:Testtimescaling Testtimescaling github io Badge Data Generation

Metadata
Page Type	Principle
Concept Type	External Tool
Domain	Documentation, CI_CD
Namespace	Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io
Workflow	Automated_Citation_Tracking
Date Created	2026-02-14
Implementation	Implementation:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Json_Dump_Shields_Badge
Source	Shields.io Endpoint

Overview

Dynamic badge generation using the Shields.io endpoint badge protocol transforms computed data into a standardized JSON schema that Shields.io consumes to render SVG badges in documentation.

Description

Badges are small visual indicators commonly displayed in README files and documentation pages to communicate project status at a glance -- build status, test coverage, version numbers, download counts, and more. The Shields.io service is the de facto standard for generating these badges dynamically.

The endpoint badge protocol is a specific Shields.io feature that allows project maintainers to serve a JSON file from any public URL, which Shields.io then reads and renders as an SVG badge image. This decouples badge content generation from badge rendering: the project generates and hosts the JSON data, while Shields.io handles the visual rendering.

In the Automated Citation Tracking workflow, the badge displays the total citation count for the project's arXiv papers. The JSON file is generated by the CI pipeline and committed to the repository, where it is served via GitHub Pages.

Usage

Use badge data generation when you need:

• Dynamically updating badges -- badges that reflect live or frequently changing data, such as citation counts, build status, or test coverage.
• Custom badge content -- data that is not natively supported by Shields.io's built-in badge types.
• Self-hosted badge data -- JSON files served from your own infrastructure (e.g., GitHub Pages) rather than relying on a third-party badge service API.
• CI-generated metrics -- any numeric or text value computed during a CI pipeline that you want to display as a badge.

Theoretical Basis

The Shields.io Endpoint Badge Protocol

Shields.io provides a special badge type called the endpoint badge that reads badge content from a user-provided JSON URL. The JSON file must conform to the following schema:

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "label": "string",
  "message": "string",
  "color": "string"
}

Field	Type	Required	Description
schemaVersion	int	Yes	Must be 1. Identifies the JSON schema version.
label	string	Yes	The left side of the badge (e.g., "arXiv Citations"). Describes what the badge measures.
message	string	Yes	The right side of the badge (e.g., "42"). Displays the current value.
color	string	No	The color of the right side. Accepts named colors (blue, green, red) or hex values (#4c1).

Badge Rendering Flow:

1. The CI pipeline computes a value (e.g., total citation count).
2. The pipeline writes a JSON file conforming to the endpoint badge schema.
3. The JSON file is committed to the repository and served via a public URL (e.g., GitHub Pages).
4. A Shields.io badge URL references the JSON file: https://img.shields.io/endpoint?url=https://example.github.io/badge.json
5. Shields.io fetches the JSON, extracts the fields, and renders an SVG badge.
6. The badge is embedded in the README using a Markdown image link.

Decoupling Principle:

This architecture follows the separation of concerns principle:

• Data producer (CI pipeline): Responsible only for computing the value and writing valid JSON.
• Data host (GitHub Pages): Responsible only for serving the static JSON file.
• Renderer (Shields.io): Responsible only for reading the JSON and rendering the badge SVG.

Each component can be updated independently. For example, changing the badge color requires only a change to the JSON generation code, not to the README or the Shields.io configuration.

Related Pages

• Implementation:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Json_Dump_Shields_Badge
• Principle:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_API_Data_Fetching -- Provides the citation count data consumed by badge generation
• Principle:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Automated_Git_Commit -- Commits the generated badge JSON to the repository