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Joined 1 year ago
Cake day: September 26th, 2023
  • ChasingEnigma@lemmy.worldOPtoProgramming@programming.dev•What are your favorite FOSS software with vibrant communities, and how can we build and sustain such communities?
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    7 months ago

    Building and Sustaining Vibrant FOSS Communities

    Free and open-source software (FOSS) projects live and breathe through the strength of their communities. From Linux to MongoDB, some of the most widely used software today has been built through the collaborative efforts of contributors across the globe.

    Here are some of the factors that can help FOSS projects cultivate an active, engaged community that drives development and innovation over the long run.

    Funding Models That Sustain Open Source Work

    Funding is oxygen for open source software. Platforms like Open Collective have pioneered issue bounties that incentivize contributions to FOSS projects. Although Open Collective itself is shutting down, other models like monthly subscriptions, bug bounties, and crowdfunding campaigns can help support ongoing development.

    Building a Supportive Community Platform

    An active Discord server, discussion forum or mailing list fosters closer collaboration within the user and contributor community. It facilitates conversations about new features, issues, and direction for the project. A vibrant community platform keeps engagement high even when development slows down.

    Roadmaps and Transparency Around Development

    A public roadmap on GitHub that outlines feature requests, bug fixes and other issues being tracked for the project is invaluable. It informs both users and contributors on what’s next for the software and when they can expect key updates. Over time, it builds trust and transparency.

    Here are some more ideas that can help FOSS projects cultivate an active, engaged community that drives development and innovation over the long run:

    • Have an inclusive, welcoming Code of Conduct
    • Make the project easy for new contributors to get started
    • Have good documentation and tutorials
    • Respond quickly and helpfully to questions from new users/contributors
    • Have an active chat/forum community
    • Host regular video meetings open to community
    • Spotlight community contributors and say thanks
    • Have leadership opportunities and mentorships
    • Set clear roadmaps and goals
    • Enable easy bug reporting and feature requests
    • Celebrate milestones and releases
    • Host contributor sprints/hackathons (virtual or in-person)
    • Create pathways for non-coders to contribute
    • Have user experience testing groups
    • Create personas and user stories
    • Run usability studies on designs/flows
    • Create sandboxes for experimentation
    • Develop designer and content creator communities
    • Build integrations with other tools developers use
    • Create stickers, shirts, etc. with project logo
    • Run contests and challenges with prizes
    • Create fellowships and internship programs
    • Give talks about project at local meetups
    • Support localization into many languages
    • Interview long-time contributors about history
    • Highlight real-world project uses and users
    • Create videos showing project usage
    • Start podcasts with project updates
    • Run social campaigns to promote the project
    • Create gaming integrations and examples
    • Build browser extension that uses project
    • Create space on forums for non-work topics
    • Encourage meme creation and jokes
    • Send regular project newsletters
    • Create chat channels focused on different locales
    • Spotlight artists/creators using the project
    • Show examples of project art and music
    • Commission art for website/logo/graphics
    • Create physical spaces to gather and work on project
    • Crowdfund for community members to meet up
    • Celebrate traditional open source dates (e.g. Software Freedom Day)
    • Sticker exchanges across community meetups
    • Create badges/flair for contributors
    • Support students using the project for classwork
    • Run research projects with universities
    • Create sandboxes showcasing experimental features
    • Have bounties for completing issues
    • Spotlight companies supporting development
    • Create easy surveys to gather user feedback
    • Have rotating community member profiles