Google software engineer Jessica Frazelle is an experienced open source contributor, having participated in Docker, Go, Kubernetes, and the Linux kernel. Over time, she's spotted a number of tools and tips for building and nurturing large open source projects, which she shared in her talk at OSCON 2017, The Life of a Large-Scale Open Source Project.
Here are some of the points she shared.
Tips for getting and retaining contributors
- Create help-wanted labels on your issue tracker. Explicitly marking some issues as newbie-friendly can draw new activity and help new contributors grow.
- Be aware of any internal decision-making dynamics. If a project originated inside a company, there may be internal discussions about the project that should be openly shared.
- Define non-code contributions. We all know that docs are needed, but loudly saying so can help encourage contributors.
- Value positive reinforcement to turn new contributors into repeat contributors.
- Be respectful of contributors' time.
- Clearly define processes for people officially becoming contributors and maintainers. If someone wants to get into project maintenance, they need a defined promotion path.
Tips for nurturing maintainers
- Create explicit guidelines for acceptable patches and release cutoffs.
- Encourage frequent contributors to take on more responsibility.
- Distribute control, starting with low-risk items.
- Governance is crucial—and also one of the hardest things to do well! The ability to change those in power should not lie with those in power.
Dealing with inevitable vulnerabilities
- Define a process for dealing with vulnerabilities, and make it public!
- Make sure users know when and how to upgrade in a way that won't break their world.
- Keep bug reporters and researchers informed; once you have them in the loop, you don't want them going rogue! Do this well, and some might become contributors.
- Do not compromise on disclosure dates so that someone can give a talk at a conference. Stick to the process in all cases.
- Define what happens when the process fails because—at some point—it will.
Dealing with the companies that support the project
- What happens to fiery passion when it is fueled by a paycheck from a company? It's still possible, but be honest about it.
- Encourage companies to hire from the community.
- Maintainership must be earned. Make new hires play by the same rules.
- Allow saying "no."
- "Looks good to me" patches last forever—keep the trust of the community, and treat all patches fairly. Patches are tied to individuals, not companies.
- Love your corporate overlords for funding you. Find a balance between corporate and community needs—collaboration and compromise are the key.
What lessons have you learned from working on open source projects? Share your tips and tricks in the comments.
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