This is an automated email from the ASF dual-hosted git repository. rbowen pushed a commit to branch preview/contrib-01 in repository https://gitbox.apache.org/repos/asf/comdev-site.git
commit 458c6dde469a8e07ea7669bdaff492dc77bda288 Author: Rich Bowen <[email protected]> AuthorDate: Fri Nov 15 11:37:41 2024 -0500 preview branch --- source/contributors/_index.md | 202 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------ source/contributors/etiquette.md | 2 +- 2 files changed, 142 insertions(+), 62 deletions(-) diff --git a/source/contributors/_index.md b/source/contributors/_index.md index 8d03aad1..357cc469 100755 --- a/source/contributors/_index.md +++ b/source/contributors/_index.md @@ -4,100 +4,180 @@ url: /contributors/ tags: ["faq","navigation","contributing"] --- -This page is for people who are reasonably -comfortable with open source development models but need a helping hand finding -their way around the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and our way of developing software -(commonly called "The Apache Way"). For those wishing to start from -the very beginning, we have a [newcomers page][1] and an -overview of our [Contributor Ladder](https://community.apache.org/contributor-ladder.html). +Contributing to an Apache project is the second step on your journey up +the [contributor ladder](/contributor-ladder.html). -## Project Independence And Policies +User → **Contributor** → [Committer](/committers/) → [PMC member](/pmc/) -While not all ASF projects practice all aspects of the Apache Way in the same way, there are a number of rules that ASF -projects must follow – things like complying with PMC -[release voting][2], [legal policy][3], [brand policy][4], -using [mailing lists][5], etc., which are [documented in various places][6]. +While we often think of contributions to open source as *code*, a +contribution can be anything - good questions, documentation, design, +event coordination, and so on also qualify as contributions. Projects +need your skills, even if you're not a programmer. -One of these invariant rules is that projects are managed -independently of any commercial interests. The goal is to create an -environment in which all participants are equal and thus have an equal -opportunity to contribute to and benefit from our software, regardless -of motivation or financial objectives. This is discussed in more detail -in our document [Project Independence][7]. +But, it can sometimes be hard to know where to get started. We're here +to help. Here's some of the basics. -## Communication on mailing lists +{{% toc %}} -Development at the ASF has traditionally been done on mailing lists. -This is not merely because we've always done it this way, but is an -intentional decision, in order to include a wider community than who -happens to be on your Slack channel at a particular moment. +## What projects can I contribute to? -This is why we say, at the ASF, [**If it didn't happen on the mailing -list, it didn't happen**](/contributors/mailing-lists.html). +Most contributors start as users, and then see something that they want +to improve, fix, or otherwise help out with. -## Moving From Contributor to Committer +There's [a lot of projects](https://projects.apache.org/). You can look +through them +[by name](https://projects.apache.org/projects.html?name), +[by topic](https://projects.apache.org/projects.html?category), +or [by programming language](https://projects.apache.org/projects.html?language). -Anyone can be a contributor to an ASF project. Being a contributor simply means -that you take an interest in the project and contribute in some way, ranging from asking -sensible questions (which document the project and provide feedback to developers) -through to providing new features as code patches. +## Where is everything? -If you become a valuable contributor to the project, the Project Management Committee (PMC) may invite you to become -a _committer_. At the ASF, a committer is someone who is -committed to a particular project. It brings with it the privilege of write access to -the project repository and resources. In many projects, committers may also be invited -to be part of the core group within the project that ensures the project's vitality, the PMC. -In a few projects only a subset of committers who have earned even more merit are invited to be a part of the PMC. +Every [Apache project](https://projects.apache.org/) website *should* +have an **/about** page (or similar) that lists the basic "where is +everything" about the project. If they don't, here's where to start looking: -One thing that is sometimes hard to understand, when you are new to the open -development process used at the ASF, is that we value the community more than -the code. A strong and healthy community will be respectful and be a fun and -rewarding place. More importantly, a diverse and healthy community can -continue to support the code over the longer term, even as individual -contributors come and go from the field. +### Download -In particular, we have some [etiquette and behavior expectations][8] when -you work with ASF communities. +Most (not all) Apache projects will have a prominent download link on +the front page of their project website. This will (hopefully) be +accompanied by instructions on how to download, build, install, and use +the releases. + +Getting to know how to use the software that a project releases is a +reasonable first step towards contributing. Keep notes of that first +user experience, as that is valuable information for the project, and +might be a good place to start your contributions. + +### The Code + +Most (not all) Apache projects have their code on +[GitHub](https://github.com/apache). Search for the project name in the +**apache** GitHub organization. + +### Communication + +Most (not all) Apache project have their main discussions on [mailing +lists][11]. Most projects have +`[email protected]` and `[email protected]` mailing lists, +focused, respectively, on end-user questions, and development activity. +You can read the archives (i.e., messages from the past), as well as +participate in current discussions, either by subscribing to the lists, +or by using the [lists.apache.org][11] site +directly. + +#### Subscribe + +To subscribe (that is, to receive every message sent to the list via +email) to a project mailing list (e.g., if you want to subscribe +to the `users` list for `PROJECT`) +send a blank email message to `[email protected]`. +Substitute the name of the list (i.e., `dev` instead of `users`), and of +the specific project you're interested in (i.e., `karaf` instead of +`PROJECT`). + +#### Unsubscribe + +To unsubscribe, the process is similar. Send a blank email message to +`[email protected]` from the email address with which +you subscribed. + +In each case, you'll receive a confirmation email, with further +instructions. + +#### Other communication channels + +Some projects use other communication channels, such as Slack, Discord, +or WeChat. This will (hopefully) be listed on the project page. -See also this [detailed advice for how to become a committer](/contributors/becomingacommitter.html) +## Your First Contribution -## Anyone Can Become A Committer +Most first contributions are simple, as you become familiar with the +project and its specific contributor flow. -There is nothing at the ASF that says you must write code -in order to be a committer. Anyone who is supportive by contributing towards project, -community, documentation or code is a likely candidate for committership. +We recommend that you start by finding, and joining, the relevant +communication channel. Introduce yourself, and say what you're +interested in working on. How people respond to this can be a good +indicator of how welcoming the project is. It will also be an +opportunity for them to point you to [good first +issues](https://community.apache.org/committers/good-first-issues.html), +or other possible things to work on. -The ASF strives to be meritocratic. That is, once someone has contributed sufficiently -towards the project, they can be voted in as a committer. Being a committer does not -necessarily mean you commit code; it means you are committed to the project and are -productively contributing to its success. +Your beginner's impression of the project, and the development process, +can be very valuable to projects attempting to improve their onboarding +experience, so take notes of the things that were hard to find, or +processes that you found confusing. -One of the key contributions people can make to the community is through the -support of a wide user base by assisting users on the user list, writing user-oriented docs and ensuring the developers understand the user viewpoint. -A main idea behind being a committer is the ability to be a mentor and to work -cooperatively with your peers. +## Becoming a Committer -Some users of a project's software become committers in their own right. Some will test code, -some will write documentation, some will do bug triage and some will write code. +Any contributor can, eventually, become a committer. While the exact +process, and the specific milestones you may need to achieve, will vary +from one project to another, the basics are fairly consistent across the +ASF. + +Ideally, once someone has contributed consistently, and of a +consistently high quality, to a project, they will get invited to become +a committer, which grants a higher level of ownership of the project. + +Being a committer does not necessarily mean you commit code, although +that is the historical reason that we use this particular word. +It means you are *committed* to the project and are productively +contributing to its success. + +We've written a [guide on how to become an Apache +committer](/contributors/becomingacommitter.html) which covers the basics. As you +become more familiar with a specific project, though, you'll see that +each project has its own slightly different culture. + +In general, we have some [etiquette and behavior expectations][8] when +you work with ASF communities. For more details see "[How it works][9]". You can also make [suggestions for how to update this website][10] you're reading right now! ## Questions and Feedback +If you have other questions, the ComDev team he here to help. + You can provide feedback and ask questions by subscribing to our mailing list: send an email to -[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Once subscribed, you can send your mail to -[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). +[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). +Once subscribed, you can send email to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), +or through the [lists.apache.org web +interface](https://lists.apache.org/[email protected]). +<!-- + +Editorial Note: This is useful content, but doesn't belong here. Commenting out +for now, but need to move at some point. Probably belongs under /pmc/ ? --RCB + +## Project Independence And Policies + +While not all ASF projects practice all aspects of the Apache Way in the +same way, there are a number of rules that ASF projects must follow – things +like complying with PMC [release voting][2], [legal policy][3], [brand policy][4], +using [mailing lists][5], etc., which are [documented in various places][6]. + +One of these invariant rules is that projects are managed +independently of any commercial interests. The goal is to create an +environment in which all participants are equal and thus have an equal +opportunity to contribute to and benefit from our software, regardless +of motivation or financial objectives. This is discussed in more detail +in our document [Project Independence][7]. + +--> + +<!-- Links --> [1]: /newcomers/index.html [2]: https://www.apache.org/legal/release-policy.html [3]: https://www.apache.org/legal/ [4]: https://www.apache.org/foundation/marks/ [5]: https://www.apache.org/dev/#mail - [6]: https://blogs.apache.org/comdev/entry/what_makes_apache_projects_different + [6]: /blog/what_makes_apache_projects_different [7]: /projectIndependence.html [8]: /contributors/etiquette [9]: https://www.apache.org/foundation/how-it-works.html [10]: /newbiefaq.html#websitecms + [11]: https://lists.apache.org/ +<!-- /Links --> + diff --git a/source/contributors/etiquette.md b/source/contributors/etiquette.md index 69fa752f..c701d798 100644 --- a/source/contributors/etiquette.md +++ b/source/contributors/etiquette.md @@ -69,6 +69,6 @@ comment before closing out the issue. - [Official Apache-wide Code of Conduct][1] - [Email Etiquette Guidelines - writing good emails](https://www.apache.org/dev/contrib-email-tips) - - [Building Consensus in a community](/committers/consensusBuilding.html) + - [Building Consensus in a community](/committers/decisionMaking.html) [1]: https://www.apache.org/foundation/policies/conduct.html
