The document discusses the importance of creating a community repository for open source projects. It notes that a community repository acts like a map for new community members, highlighting frequent destinations and points of interest. An effective community repository includes a code of conduct, contributor and maintainer guidelines, communication best practices, issue triage and security policies, and a table of contents. The document provides examples and tips for creating a community repository, emphasizing transparency, documentation, and continuous improvement. It stresses that even imperfect documentation is better than none, and that establishing best practices and welcoming contributors are key.

1. Community Repositories:
Why You Need One for Your
Open Source Project
@kiran_oliver #ATO2021

2. Hello!
I’m Rin Oliver (I use they/he pronouns)
I’m a nonbinary, neurodivergent Technical Community
Builder at Camunda
.
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3. An introduction to /community repositories
Getting started
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4. “
You can think of a /community repository
as a map. It’s a way for new community
members to get from A to B, have frequent
destinations highlighted, and points of
interest noted.
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5. /community repository must-haves
▸ A clear code of conduct, and a resolution path
▸ Guidelines for getting started as a maintainer or
contributor
▸ Communication best practices
▸ Issue triage and security policies
▸ A table of contents
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6. Creating a README
Ways to format your /community repository
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7. Here’s an example
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8. Keep your timeline realistic
8
DEC
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
MAY
APR
MAR
FEB
JAN
First drafted proposal
for the Camunda
Community Hub
First round of projects
migrated into the
Camunda Community
Hub
Began scoping
automated release
security tooling and
guidelines
Began drafting
security policy and
guidelines
Published security and
dependency
management policy
Begin gathering
metrics on the health
of the Camunda
Community Hub
Began building the
Camunda Community
Hub and inviting first
round of projects
Second round of
projects began
migration
Second round of
projects successfully
migrated
Introduced automated
security scanning into
automated release
tooling in the
Community Hub
Continuing to grow
projects and
participation in the
Camunda Community
Hub
TBD
@kiran_oliver #ATO2021

9. Contributor Guide
▸ Explains to new
contributors how to get
started with the project
▸ Walks through how to
install any prerequisites
▸ Has a style guide, first
contribution
walkthrough
Contributor Guide vs. a Community Repository
Community Repository
▸ Maintainer best
practices
▸ Contributor best
practices
▸ Security policy
▸ How-Tos
▸ Communication
guidelines
▸ …..And more!
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10. ▸ Check out https://github.com/camunda-community-
hub/community
▸ It’s not perfect. It’s a work in progress, created in the open.
▸ Striving for perfection can hurt your progress.
▸ Even a small amount of up-to-date documentation is better than no
documentation at all.
▸ Creating a welcoming community is a never ending, rewarding process
Progress, not perfection
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11. What a community repository provides
11
Community
Repository
For maintainers
For contributors
Roadmap Key information Guidelines Best practices
@kiran_oliver #ATO2021

12. I’ve got a /community repository, now what?
Find your ‘Why,’
Need a starting
point? A
commitment to an
improved
community and
developer
experience.
Keep it open
By creating your
/community
repository in the
open, you allow
your community to
provide transparent
feedback in real
time.
Document it
With detailed,
concise
documentation and
communication
guidelines, you
enable those from
all backgrounds to
contribute.
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13. Community repository =
community wins
Enables community
members to find the
solutions they need
quickly, access exciting
new projects, and build
creative solutions to new
and existing challenges.
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14. Roadmap
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1 3 5
6
4
2
Starting a
GitHub/GitLab
Organization
Begin drafting
documentation
Publicize your
/community repo in
your community!
Decide what content
needs to be in your
/community repository
Add documentation to
your /community
repository
Encourage new
contributions and
growth of current
community!
@kiran_oliver #ATO2021

15. Where will your
community go?
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16. Breaking down the process
16
Getting started
Remember to find your why, involve your
community, and establish best practices.
Continuous improvement
By revisiting, revising, and improving
your /community repository over time,
you ensure your documentation remains
up-to-date and policies and procedures
continue to improve.
Transparency is key
By working in the open to create a living
/community repository, you are able to
better understand the needs of your
community and hear their feedback.
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01 02
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17. Let’s review:
Find your ‘Why’
What motivates you?
Work in the open
Open source creates a
stronger community, better
developer experience, and
improves documentation
Establish best
practices
Having these documented for
contributors and maintainers
is key
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Welcome
contributors
By having a welcoming
community for those from all
backgrounds
Set expectations
If you didn’t document it, it’s
just a nice idea. Not a process.
Continuous
improvement
Don’t just create a
/community repository and
never update it. Come back to
it and improve it over time.
@kiran_oliver #ATO2021

18. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
@kiran_oliver on Twitter & @celanthe on GitHub
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19. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
▸ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
▸ Photographs by Unsplash and Pixabay
▸ Closing slide profile illustration by
@o_zabethy
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