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Maintainer Pathway – KubeStellar#

This document outlines the process by which contributors to the KubeStellar open source project can progress toward becoming maintainers, and defines a transparent, merit-based path that rewards consistent engagement and community contribution.

Purpose#

To provide contributors with a clear understanding of how to grow within the KubeStellar community — from first-time contributors to trusted maintainers — based on mentorship, impact, and measurable contributions.

Contributor Journey#

Each level reflects a growing commitment to the project, increased responsibilities, and expanded leadership opportunities.

1. Contributor -> Unpaid Intern#

Requirements: - Minimum of 3 contributions (e.g., bug reports, documentation PRs, or code PRs) - Display enthusiasm and interest in long-term participation - Be active on GitHub and Slack - Informal application or nomination to join the intern program

2. Unpaid Intern -> Paid Intern#

Timeframe: 12-week internship
Quantitative Requirements (within 12 weeks): - Open at least 6 “help wanted” issues - Merge at least 20 PRs - Of those, at least 8 PRs must be merged within the first 6 weeks - Attend weekly team meetings or submit summaries asynchronously - Work collaboratively with mentors

Promotion to paid intern requires completion of the above plus: - A mentor’s recommendation - Strong communication and follow-through

3. Paid Intern -> Mentor#

Requirements: - Successfully complete at least one 12-week paid internship cycle - Help onboard and support at least one new intern or contributor - Submit: - ≥ 3 PR reviews - ≥ 5 helpful comments on PRs or issues - Present or co-present at a community call

4. Mentor -> Maintainer#

Requirements: - Demonstrate technical leadership in one or more key areas - Maintain consistent contribution activity - Engage with the community in GitHub and Slack - Approved by core maintainers following a public review process

Maintainer Activity Requirements#

Maintainers are expected to remain active by meeting the following bi-monthly (every 2 months) contribution minimums:

Metric Requirement (Per 2 Months)
“Help Wanted” Issues ≥ 2
PRs Merged ≥ 3
PR Reviews or Constructive Comments ≥ 8
Community Meeting Attendance ≥ 3

All maintainers will be listed in a shared Google Sheet where these metrics are tracked publicly.

Evaluation and Status#

  • Evaluations occur every 6 weeks for interns and every 8 weeks for maintainers
  • Interns who do not meet the required output may be removed from the program
  • Maintainers who fail to meet activity thresholds for 2 consecutive cycles will be reviewed for possible status change
  • Contributors may re-enter or regain status based on future contributions

Metric Tracking#

Contribution metrics will be gathered via GitHub API and updated to a public Google Sheet (link TBD). Contributions across the following repos count toward intern and maintainer totals:

Join the Pathway#

If you’re interested in becoming an intern or nominating someone, please attend a KubeStellar Community Meeting, or open an issue with the label maintainer-pathway.

Maintained by the KubeStellar team. Last updated: July 2025.