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 12-week paid internship cycle
- Help and support at least 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 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.