My most and least used parts in KSP

[Ultimate Steve]

During the time the forum was dead, I watched a wonderful YouTube video about the rarest moves in Chess notation. That got me wondering what the rarest parts in KSP were, and I got the idea of making a Python script that would download every craft from KerbalX and add up all of the parts.

Unfortunately, interfacing with another site and trying to not spam KerbalX scared me a little, so I scaled it back to just something that would look through craft files and tally up the stock parts.

The hard parts involved figuring out which parts were stock, filtering out any craft included in the game, and the game using like 3 separate naming schemes and using underscores in some places and periods in other places. Eventually I found (hopefully) most of the bugs, and set it loose on my large collection of KSP save files spanning probably nearly 10 years of gameplay.

The current implementation does not count DLC parts and it does not deal with repeats caused by copying over saves when copying over installations, so the methodology isn't perfect, but here are the results:

Spoiler

996968
strutConnector - 73231 occurrences
sepMotor1 - 42238 occurrences
structuralPanel2 - 20636 occurrences
launchClamp1 - 19668 occurrences
strutCube - 17262 occurrences
solarPanels5 - 16356 occurrences
MassiveBooster - 16241 occurrences
SSME - 15091 occurrences
Size3LargeTank - 14702 occurrences
fuelLine - 12605 occurrences
R8winglet - 11979 occurrences
vernierEngine - 11629 occurrences
wingConnector - 11496 occurrences
mk3CrewCabin - 10466 occurrences
structuralIBeam1 - 10342 occurrences
asasmodule1-2 - 10053 occurrences
ionEngine - 9149 occurrences
radialDecoupler - 9009 occurrences
parachuteRadial - 8582 occurrences
MK1Fuselage - 8302 occurrences
nuclearEngine - 8138 occurrences
trussPiece3x - 7830 occurrences
linearRcs - 7745 occurrences
miniFuelTank - 7647 occurrences
structuralPanel1 - 7638 occurrences
stackPoint1 - 7608 occurrences
fuelTank - 7078 occurrences
dockingPort3 - 7035 occurrences
structuralIBeam3 - 6717 occurrences
mk3FuselageLF.100 - 6614 occurrences
ksp.r.largeBatteryPack - 6586 occurrences
SmallGearBay - 6209 occurrences
largeSolarPanel - 6068 occurrences
solidBooster.sm.v2 - 5825 occurrences
radialDecoupler1-2 - 5755 occurrences
dockingPort2 - 5626 occurrences
fuelTank.long - 5583 occurrences
noseCone - 5466 occurrences
wingConnector2 - 5267 occurrences
winglet3 - 4792 occurrences
Mk1FuselageStructural - 4697 occurrences
advSasModule - 4628 occurrences
trussPiece1x - 4455 occurrences
batteryBankLarge - 4439 occurrences
seatExternalCmd - 4428 occurrences
radialDecoupler2 - 4326 occurrences
RCSBlock.v2 - 4263 occurrences
Size3EngineCluster - 4257 occurrences
rtg - 4216 occurrences
batteryPack - 4167 occurrences
pointyNoseConeA - 4131 occurrences
sasModule - 3924 occurrences
landingLeg1-2 - 3879 occurrences
FuelCellArray - 3865 occurrences
StandardCtrlSrf - 3815 occurrences
fuelTankSmall - 3728 occurrences
batteryBank - 3718 occurrences
crewCabin - 3674 occurrences
structuralWing - 3639 occurrences
smallCtrlSrf - 3466 occurrences
structuralIBeam2 - 3407 occurrences
fuelTankSmallFlat - 3305 occurrences
longAntenna - 3288 occurrences
solarPanels2 - 3113 occurrences
radialDrogue - 3109 occurrences
airbrake1 - 3090 occurrences
standardNoseCone - 2974 occurrences
omsEngine - 2961 occurrences
adapterMk3-Size2 - 2949 occurrences
sensorThermometer - 2886 occurrences
LgRadialSolarPanel - 2879 occurrences
landingLeg1 - 2812 occurrences
dockingPortLarge - 2750 occurrences
wingShuttleRudder - 2707 occurrences
structuralWing4 - 2659 occurrences
GooExperiment - 2659 occurrences
LargeTank - 2642 occurrences
batteryBankMini - 2621 occurrences
mk1pod.v2 - 2616 occurrences
wingConnector3 - 2525 occurrences
xenonTankLarge - 2518 occurrences
sensorGravimeter - 2492 occurrences
miniFuselage - 2483 occurrences
deltaWing - 2433 occurrences
IntakeRadialLong - 2402 occurrences
shockConeIntake - 2334 occurrences
sensorBarometer - 2153 occurrences
Size3MediumTank - 2104 occurrences
adapterSize2-Size1 - 2037 occurrences
miniLandingLeg - 2000 occurrences
RAPIER - 1928 occurrences
radialRCSTank - 1914 occurrences
mk2CrewCabin - 1896 occurrences
telescopicLadderBay - 1881 occurrences
Decoupler.1 - 1875 occurrences
pointyNoseConeB - 1856 occurrences
strutOcto - 1852 occurrences
solarPanels4 - 1840 occurrences
airlinerCtrlSrf - 1828 occurrences
ladder1 - 1826 occurrences
elevon3 - 1806 occurrences
winglet - 1793 occurrences
rcsTankRadialLong - 1786 occurrences
probeStackSmall - 1779 occurrences
adapterSize3-Mk3 - 1776 occurrences
airlinerMainWing - 1754 occurrences
wheelMed - 1741 occurrences
radPanelSm - 1726 occurrences
sensorAccelerometer - 1713 occurrences
adapterEngines - 1701 occurrences
Decoupler.0 - 1591 occurrences
xenonTankRadial - 1555 occurrences
wingConnector5 - 1546 occurrences
wingShuttleElevon1 - 1523 occurrences
turboFanEngine - 1501 occurrences
GearSmall - 1470 occurrences
elevon5 - 1421 occurrences
wingShuttleElevon2 - 1396 occurrences
radialEngineBody - 1386 occurrences
HeatShield1 - 1366 occurrences
science.module - 1364 occurrences
wingConnector4 - 1360 occurrences
elevon2 - 1357 occurrences
sweptWing2 - 1301 occurrences
parachuteSingle - 1299 occurrences
RCSFuelTank - 1260 occurrences
MK1CrewCabin - 1254 occurrences
probeStackLarge - 1226 occurrences
Rockomax64.BW - 1186 occurrences
miniIntake - 1163 occurrences
delta.small - 1158 occurrences
radPanelLg - 1146 occurrences
fairingSize1 - 1146 occurrences
mediumDishAntenna - 1137 occurrences
tailfin - 1127 occurrences
Size3AdvancedEngine - 1122 occurrences
airScoop - 1110 occurrences
mk3CargoBayL - 1090 occurrences
radialLiquidEngine1-2 - 1089 occurrences
xenonTank - 1087 occurrences
mk3FuselageMONO - 1055 occurrences
toroidalAerospike - 1039 occurrences
CanardController - 1039 occurrences
mk2SpacePlaneAdapter - 1035 occurrences
smallRadialEngine.v2 - 1035 occurrences
Rockomax32.BW - 1019 occurrences
FuelCell - 1017 occurrences
airlinerTailFin - 1017 occurrences
rcsTankMini - 1003 occurrences
Size3SmallTank - 977 occurrences
CircularIntake - 956 occurrences
fairingSize2 - 951 occurrences
GearLarge - 908 occurrences
miniJetEngine - 894 occurrences
GearMedium - 877 occurrences
RadialDrill - 866 occurrences
fairingSize3 - 859 occurrences
Mark2Cockpit - 835 occurrences
trussAdapter - 831 occurrences
telescopicLadder - 829 occurrences
Clydesdale - 824 occurrences
dockingPort1 - 821 occurrences
commDish - 804 occurrences
Mark1Cockpit - 799 occurrences
probeCoreOcto2.v2 - 798 occurrences
landerCabinSmall - 781 occurrences
GearFree - 781 occurrences
flagPartSize0 - 779 occurrences
mk2.1m.Bicoupler - 747 occurrences
cupola - 743 occurrences
wingStrake - 734 occurrences
adapterSmallMiniTall - 721 occurrences
liquidEngine3.v2 - 697 occurrences
adapterMk3-Size2Slant - 693 occurrences
RadialOreTank - 679 occurrences
mk3FuselageLFO.100 - 677 occurrences
ramAirIntake - 669 occurrences
AdvancedCanard - 663 occurrences
largeAdapter - 661 occurrences
parachuteLarge - 661 occurrences
airplaneTail - 660 occurrences
HeatShield2 - 652 occurrences
mk3CargoBayS - 648 occurrences
mk3CargoBayM - 645 occurrences
mk2Fuselage - 638 occurrences
JetEngine - 634 occurrences
Decoupler.2 - 629 occurrences
SurfaceScanner - 624 occurrences
externalTankCapsule - 611 occurrences
sweptWing - 603 occurrences
flagPartSize3 - 600 occurrences
LaunchEscapeSystem - 578 occurrences
rocketNoseCone.v3 - 573 occurrences
SurfAntenna - 559 occurrences
GrapplingDevice - 554 occurrences
externalTankRound - 522 occurrences
mk2Cockpit.Standard - 520 occurrences
turboJet - 510 occurrences
HeatShield0 - 506 occurrences
sensorAtmosphere - 491 occurrences
roverWheel2 - 484 occurrences
ISRU - 484 occurrences
noseConeAdapter - 456 occurrences
Large.Crewed.Lab - 456 occurrences
mk3Cockpit.Shuttle - 456 occurrences
foldingRadMed - 454 occurrences
roverWheel1 - 452 occurrences
foldingRadLarge - 439 occurrences
structuralWing2 - 424 occurrences
SmallTank - 416 occurrences
radialEngineMini.v2 - 414 occurrences
InflatableHeatShield - 414 occurrences
wingShuttleStrake - 414 occurrences
GearFixed - 410 occurrences
foldingRadSmall - 392 occurrences
RCSTank1-2 - 385 occurrences
liquidEngineMini.v2 - 385 occurrences
largeAdapter2 - 380 occurrences
Rockomax16.BW - 377 occurrences
ScienceBox - 375 occurrences
stationHub - 365 occurrences
RelayAntenna100 - 363 occurrences
mk2.1m.AdapterLong - 358 occurrences
mk2CargoBayL - 348 occurrences
HeatShield3 - 346 occurrences
RelayAntenna50 - 344 occurrences
RelayAntenna5 - 341 occurrences
mk3FuselageLFO.25 - 326 occurrences
probeCoreOcto.v2 - 321 occurrences
solidBooster.v2 - 316 occurrences
adapterSize2-Size1Slant - 316 occurrences
mk2CargoBayS - 314 occurrences
airplaneTailB - 306 occurrences
structuralPylon - 306 occurrences
turboFanSize2 - 302 occurrences
liquidEngine2-2.v2 - 296 occurrences
engineLargeSkipper.v2 - 291 occurrences
ServiceBay.125.v2 - 288 occurrences
SurveyScanner - 288 occurrences
structuralWing3 - 287 occurrences
liquidEngine2.v2 - 284 occurrences
externalTankToroid - 275 occurrences
mk2FuselageLongLFO - 259 occurrences
OrbitalScanner - 255 occurrences
mk3CargoRamp - 249 occurrences
mk2Cockpit.Inline - 244 occurrences
sweptWing1 - 239 occurrences
mk3FuselageLF.50 - 238 occurrences
flagPartFlat - 235 occurrences
microEngine.v2 - 228 occurrences
mk2FuselageShortLiquid - 227 occurrences
rocketNoseConeSize3 - 225 occurrences
liquidEngineMainsail.v2 - 223 occurrences
probeCoreCube - 204 occurrences
HighGainAntenna - 204 occurrences
Separator.0 - 203 occurrences
solarPanels1 - 200 occurrences
roverWheel3 - 200 occurrences
Mite - 200 occurrences
mk3FuselageLF.25 - 199 occurrences
Shrimp - 196 occurrences
Decoupler.3 - 194 occurrences
RCSLinearSmall - 193 occurrences
Rockomax8BW - 181 occurrences
adapterSmallMiniShort - 170 occurrences
Separator.1 - 164 occurrences
mk1-3pod - 155 occurrences
spotLight3 - 154 occurrences
adapterLargeSmallQuad - 153 occurrences
adapterMk3-Mk2 - 147 occurrences
adapterLargeSmallTri - 143 occurrences
radPanelEdge - 142 occurrences
mk2DroneCore - 141 occurrences
nacelleBody - 138 occurrences
parachuteDrogue - 133 occurrences
MiniDrill - 133 occurrences
smallHardpoint - 131 occurrences
Size3To2Adapter.v2 - 130 occurrences
domeLight1 - 125 occurrences
structuralMiniNode - 124 occurrences
Size2LFB.v2 - 122 occurrences
mk3FuselageLFO.50 - 120 occurrences
mk2DockingPort - 116 occurrences
ServiceBay.250.v2 - 108 occurrences
mk2FuselageShortLFO - 95 occurrences
smallCargoContainer - 88 occurrences
Separator.3 - 87 occurrences
probeCoreHex.v2 - 85 occurrences
ConformalStorageUnit - 83 occurrences
avionicsNoseCone - 79 occurrences
HECS2.ProbeCore - 78 occurrences
MiniISRU - 78 occurrences
adapterSize2-Mk2 - 77 occurrences
probeCoreSphere.v2 - 73 occurrences
adapterLargeSmallBi - 68 occurrences
RCSblock.01.small - 68 occurrences
mk2LanderCabin.v2 - 66 occurrences
MK1IntakeFuselage - 66 occurrences
flagPartSize2 - 65 occurrences
stripLight1 - 65 occurrences
Thoroughbred - 62 occurrences
solarPanels3 - 60 occurrences
Magnetometer - 53 occurrences
solarPanelOX10C - 51 occurrences
ReleaseValve - 43 occurrences
solarPanelOX10L - 38 occurrences
stackQuadCoupler - 36 occurrences
flagPartSize1 - 35 occurrences
roverBody.v2 - 35 occurrences
smallClaw - 35 occurrences
spotLight1.v2 - 30 occurrences
Separator.2 - 28 occurrences
mk2FuselageShortMono - 28 occurrences
dockingPortLateral - 27 occurrences
stackBiCoupler.v2 - 22 occurrences
InfraredTelescope - 19 occurrences
HighGainAntenna5.v2 - 15 occurrences
cargoContainer - 13 occurrences
liquidEngine.v2 - 13 occurrences
fireworksLauncherBig - 9 occurrences
spotLight2.v2 - 9 occurrences
CargoStorageUnit - 5 occurrences
stackTriCoupler.v2 - 3 occurrences
fireworksLauncherSmall - 1 occurrences
navLight1 - 1 occurrences
solarPanelSP10L - 0 occurrences
solarPanelSP10C - 0 occurrences
MtmStage - 0 occurrences
MpoProbe - 0 occurrences
329 parts, 4 never used

Barring methodology errors and saves on other computers, the craft I have built in KSP total 996,968 parts, or very nearly a million!

As for my most used parts:

Unsurprisingly, the strut is the most common part with 73k uses, especially as many of these craft predate autostrut, and there are still some things autostrut can't do or can't do very well.

The sepratron is in second with 42k uses. For an average player this seems very high, but this is likely because I do a lot of things with stock part combat. Each missile typically uses 2-8 sepratrons, each craft carries a LOT of missiles, and I built a lot of these craft, some of which got copied over through multiple installs and some of which had several revisions saved under different files. Add this on top of normal sepratron usage and sprinkle in a few meme craft with a few hundred sepratrons each, and you get a lot of them.

The 2x2 structural panel occurred 20k times. This number is likely inflated by 2 atypical use cases. Firstly, it is armor for the stock combat ships. Secondly, I (used to) do a lot of mission reports involving building sets and taking screenshots of them, the 2x2 panel was a good part for that, in addition to the wing parts.

Launch clamps have 19k uses. Not surprising, though also inflated by sets.

Cubic octagonal struts have 17k uses. Not surprising, those things are handy.

Small static solar panel 16k uses, also not surprising.

Interestingly my most commonly used SRB besides the sepratron is the Thumper at 16k uses. It is a convenient form factor I guess. IDK what I expected but this tracks.

The Vector engine I'm not surprised by with 15k uses, it is probably my favorite engine and I build a lot of very big ships that make use of clustered Vectors.

To go along with it, the large 3.75m fuel tank has 14k uses.

The fuel line is at 12k, unsurprising, especially as many of these craft predate the new fuel flow control system, and that can often be more clunky to use than the fuel lines so I still use them often.

I'll stop listing every single one here, but some interesting ones:

Most used aero piece: AV-R8 Winglet at almost 12k, just barely eclipsing one of the rectangular wing pieces

Ion and Nuclear engine have 9k and 8k uses respectively

Somehow I've used over 1000 fuel cells. Likely only for memes or as aesthetic parts, or from my experiments into ion planes back in like 1.1 or 1.2.

Now for the least used parts:

Four parts I've never used at all! Those are the ESA BepiColumbo probe parts and the 1x5 solar panel parts. I'm very surprised that I haven't used the probe parts as greebles at all, but I'm not surprised I never used them on a mission. And I'm very surprised I haven't used the 1x5 solar panels at all. I didn't think I'd use them often, but never once?

The small fireworks launcher and one of the navigation lights have each been used once. Fireworks makes sense, if I'm gonna do them I'm gonna use the big ones. Nav light, generally when I use the lights it is so that I can see, and I gravitate overwhelmingly towards the original 2 lights in that case.

The stack tri coupler I've only used 3 times. I'm very confused at this. That's a part that has been in the game since 0.7.3. It is the most classic "feels like KSP" part from that era. And I've only used it 3 times??? Granted it isn't a very convenient part to use for modern designs, as it was built for a time when you couldn't attach fuel tanks radially and long before 2.5m parts. But only 3 times????????

One of the EVA storage containers has only been used 5 times, unsurprising, I only ever use those to store tire repair kits and 90% of the time I just repair wheels with the debug menu anyway.

Another new light at 9 uses, and the large fireworks at 9 uses - I haven't played around with the fireworks nearly enough.

The reliant engine has only been used 13 times according to this list. This isn't that surprising as I just straight up use a swivel if I need an engine in that class. But it might be misleading as the engine did get redone in like 1.11 or something, I forget. The internal name may have changed, so this may not be counting it properly.

There's other interesting stuff too, like how the Infrared Telescope has been used 19 times, but I can tell you that I've only actually used it for its intended purpose once if I remember right, the rest are because it looks cool. Or how I just don't use stack separators or n-couplers/n-stack adapters very often.  Or how like somehow I've used the utterly useless avionics nose cone 79 times, more than several dozen other parts including the magnetometer. 

But you're welcome to go through the list and make some conclusions yourself! Just be aware that several parts have had new versions made, their internal IDs may have changed so this may not be a perfect list.

I might also clean up the code and release it so you can run this on your own saves, or maybe you can send me your saves folder and I can run the analysis for you. Or maybe I'll get around to making the full version that can scrape every craft on KerbalX.

[Gargamel]

21 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

I might also clean up the code and release it so you can run this on your own saves,

Please do!   You could make a full release thread over in Tools and Applications.  

[Lisias]

You may want to check this:

https://bitbucket.org/net-lisias-ksp/ksp-tools-public/

in special:

https://bitbucket.org/net-lisias-ksp/ksp-tools-public/src/master/src/ksp/metadata/

Every single part, with every single PartModule, from every Steam available KSP ever released. With DLCs. On a Python data structure (hopefully) easily usable.

As a bônus, a lint for CFG files - but this is offtopic here . You may be interested on the CFG parser, based on the taniwha's but (IMHO) improved - granted, I didn't implemented any converters for craft files...