Killed by Google is an open-source digital project that serves as a comprehensive archive and obituary for discontinued Google products, services, hardware, and applications. Conceived and maintained by Cody Ogden alongside a global community of contributors, this repository documents the history of defunct projects, providing a centralized and factual reference point for those interested in Google’s past initiatives and their subsequent sunsets. It functions as a historical record, chronicling the lifecycle of hundreds of technological ventures ranging from experimental software experiments to major consumer-facing hardware lines.

The project maintains an extensive, searchable graveyard list that allows users to filter by product type, including apps, services, and hardware devices. Each entry typically includes details regarding the lifespan of the project, a brief explanation of its original purpose, and the circumstances surrounding its discontinuation. By compiling these details, the site aims to provide transparency and historical context for why these products were sunset, often drawing from official announcements, news coverage, and community research to ensure accuracy.

Some of the key features are:

• Comprehensive Archive: A centralized database covering hundreds of discontinued Google projects including apps, services, and hardware.
• Search and Filter: Advanced navigation tools that allow users to filter the graveyard by specific categories like hardware, software, or services.
• Factual Documentation: Detailed entries that provide dates of operation, original purpose descriptions, and reasons for product termination.
• Open Source Collaboration: An open-source model hosted on GitHub that enables developers and researchers to contribute, verify, and maintain project data.
• Direct Resources: Includes links to original documentation, press coverage, or legacy support pages for further verification of product shutdowns.

Operationally, the platform acts as an informational dashboard. Users visit the site to browse the list of 'dead' products, which are presented with visual representations such as tombstones to signify their status. The data is kept up-to-date through community-driven pull requests and research efforts on GitHub, ensuring that newly discontinued services are promptly added to the record as they are retired by Google. The site is intended for researchers, developers, and tech enthusiasts who want to study product lifecycles and corporate strategies regarding feature and service longevity.

Some common use cases include:

• Historical Research: Investigating the timeline and reasons for the discontinuation of specific Google tools or platforms.
• Academic Analysis: Studying patterns in corporate product management and common reasons for the failure or sunsetting of software projects.
• Developer Reference: Checking if a specific API, service, or development framework is still supported or has been deprecated.
• Tech Journalism: Sourcing historical context and verification for articles regarding Google’s business decisions and product history.