Contributor Ladder
Hi there! 👋 Thanks for your interest in contributing to the OpenSSF Glossary project. Whether you contribute new terms or want to help others get started, there are many ways to become an active member of this community. This doc outlines the different contributor roles within the project and the responsibilities and privileges that come with them.
1. Contributors
The Glossary is for everyone. Anyone can become a Glossary contributor simply by contributing to the project. All contributors are expected to follow the OpenSSF Code of Conduct.
There are a variety of ways you can contribute to the project, including:
- Content contributors: everyone who improves existing terms or contributes new ones,
- Helpers: anyone who helps others on GitHub, Slack, or wherever community members need support,
- Ambassadors: anyone who helps spread the word, educates the community on how to contribute and why they should do so.
Contributors can have multiple roles or focus on one area only. All these contributions are equally important and help foster a thriving community. Please refer to the How to Contribute and Style Guide for content contributions.
2. Approvers
Approvers provide feedback on PRs and approve them. Any active contributor can become an approver (see Becoming an approver).
Glossary approvers are expected to:
- Review PRs for technical accuracy,
- Assign contributors issues and label them appropriately,
- Provide contributors with feedback and guide them when needed,
- Proofread and edit submissions.
If an approver is no longer interested in or cannot perform the above duties, they should let the maintainers know and step down.
English Glossary Approvers
There are three types of approvers:
- Approvers with a strong technical background,
- Approvers with solid writing skills,
- Approvers who are proficient in both.
Technical Approvers: Individuals with a strong technical background can be approvers without having solid English writing skills. However, if they approve a PR on technical merit, they must ensure it is reviewed by an (editor) approver.
Editors: Editors proofread terms and ensure they are explained in simple language according to the Style Guide. If a term is heavily edited, the editor must request a technical approver to review it again to ensure the meaning wasn’t altered.
Becoming an Approver
Approver candidates should have a proven track record of submitting high-quality PRs and helping others get their PRs in a mergeable state.
To become an approver, start by expressing interest to existing maintainers. Existing maintainers will then ask you to demonstrate the qualifications above by contributing PRs, doing reviews, and doing other such tasks under their guidance. After some time of working together, maintainers will decide whether to grant you approver status. This decision will be based on your demonstrated level of proficiency and responsiveness.
3. Maintainers
Maintainers are approvers who can also merge PRs. Anyone can become a Glossary maintainer (see Becoming a maintainer). There are certain expectations for maintainers, including:
- Be an active and responsive approver (see above),
- Help maintain the repository, including site configuration, permission, issue-template, GitHub workflow, among others,
- Monitor the OpenSSF Slack channels and help out whenever possible,
- Regularly attend the Best Practices Working Group meetings (if timezone permits)
If a maintainer is no longer interested in or cannot perform the duties listed above, they should move themselves to emeritus status.
Becoming a Maintainer
Maintainers should have a proven track record of being successful approvers and submitting high-quality PRs. If their timezone permits, they should also regularly attend the Best Practices Working Group meetings.
To become a maintainer, start by expressing interest to existing maintainers. Existing maintainers will then ask you to demonstrate the qualifications above by contributing PRs, doing reviews, and doing other such tasks under their guidance. After some time of working together, maintainers will decide whether to grant maintainer status. This decision will be based on demonstrated level of proficiency and responsiveness.
4. Community Managers
Community managers help foster a welcoming and engaging community. Any community member can become a community manager. They are expected to:
- Welcome new members and ensure they get the information they need,
- Help answer questions from the community or identify someone who can help,
- Moderate conversations on Slack.
Become a Community Manager
Anyone can become a Glossary community manager. Community managers must have a solid understanding of the contribution and localization process and enjoy interacting and helping others. To become a community manager, start by expressing interest to existing maintainers. After an onboarding/trial period, maintainers will decide whether to grant community manager status based on performance.
Involuntary Removal
Involuntary removal of a contributor happens when responsibilities and requirements aren’t met. This may include repeated patterns of inactivity, extended periods of inactivity, and/or a violation of the code of conduct. This process is important because it protects the community and its deliverables while also opening up opportunities for new contributors to step in.
Stepping Down/Emeritus Process
If and when contributors’ commitment levels change, contributors can consider stepping down (moving down the contributor ladder) vs. moving to emeritus status (completely stepping away from the project).
Stepping Back Into a Role
If and when someone is available to step back into a previous contributor role, project leadership can arrange and consider this.