collaboration in open source - examples from mariadb

© 2015 MariaDB Foundation1* *

Collaboration in open sourceExamples from MariaDB

Otto Kekäläinen 22.4.2016

Tampere, Finland


What competitive advantage do the human species possess that made us able to conqueror the planet?


Symbols that can transfer complex information across any distance or time with great accuracy


Symbols extend our memory beyond our brain.

Code extends our thinking process beyond our brain.


Towards the best solution in the worldOpen source software development is exciting


Funded by MariaDB.com, Booking.com, Visma, Automattic (WordPress.com), Odin/Parallels, Verkkokauppa.com...


Ensuring continuity and open collaboration


Continuity

● The Foundation has the relevant technical assets and tools (website mariadb.org, version control repository, build and release systems).

● The Foundation has copyright via staff work and contributor work (CLA). For the rest (some copyrights, trademark etc) the Foundation has irrevocable licenses to use (e.g. GPL, BSD).


Foundation staff

● 6 persons, including ”Monty” Widenius

● Makes MariaDB available to as many users as possible (porting, packaging)

● Single contact point for collaboration and contributions– The Foundation makes sure all pull

requests and patches are reviewed

© 2015 MariaDB Foundation10

Open collaboration

The Foundation is open, inclusive and enables everybody to contribute and

collaborate on equal basis.


Open source is an opportunity

● Freedom to use● Freedom to study● Freedom to improve● Freedom to redistribute

Freedoms, not obligations


Open source vs. closed sourceis like democracy vs. totalitarism

Even the best strategy does not guarantee successful execution


Collaboration

Give and get


All contributions are valuable

● code● testing● translations● documentation● graphics, design● packaging and distribution● marketing, advocacy● good bug report, feedback, ideas


Who are the contributors?

● codership.com● freesa.org● galeracluster.com● gmail.com● google.com● hotmail.com● iki.fi● mariadb.com● mariadb.org

git log | grep AuthorSee https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/log-of-mariadb-contributions/ for details

● mongosearch.org● openquery.com● oracle.com● primebase.org● skysql.com● suse.com● tokutek.com● twitter.com● xiphis.org● yahoo.com

https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/log-of-mariadb-contributions/


Reasons to contribute

Scratch your own itch!


Also for the fun of it!


Cost vs benefit in contributions

Keep it simple(but not too simple)


Facilitate collaboration, be inclusive

● Publish code in real time, not just at release time● Discuss and plan on public mailing list● Chat in the public (e.g. IRC online, meetings offline)● Public bug tracker, transparent progress and

priorities● Respond quickly to pull requests on Github and to

bug reports that have patches attached● Keep documentation up-to-date, develop

documentation alongside code and allow also contributions in documentation


How does one manage a big project with millions of lines of code?

You don't.


Interfaces and APIs

● Divide and conqueror: modularize everything

● Split long files into separate files.

– Easier to read and grasp, easier to merge in git.

● Define clear interfaces between components so that anybody using the interface does not have to care what happens “behind the wall”.

● Use semantic version numbers (1.0, 1.0.1, 1.1, 2.0., 2.2...) and other common conventions.

● Contracts and promises that the interfaces will continue to work in the future too.


Be inclusive


Collaboration problems?

Support requests and random ideasvs

Real contributions and talent


Collaboration problems?

Automatic testing to help review contributions and focus human time on best contributions


Collaboration opportunities?

”Given enough eyeballs all bugs are shallow” – Linus law


How to contribute to the MariaDB project?


Read the docs!


Read the source!


Technical requirements

● Clearly defined problem with an unarguable solution

● No regressions or draw-backs

● The code might have been difficult to write, but it should not be difficult to read

● Running code and test cases makes the best evidence (example mysql-test/suite/encryption/t/create_or_replace.test)

● File issue at jira.mariadb.org

– attach patch or

– link to git branch

https://github.com/MariaDB/server/blob/10.2/mysql-test/suite/encryption/t/create_or_replace.test

https://jira.mariadb.org/


Legal requirements

● Signed MariaDB Contributor Agreement (MCA) sent to [email protected]


Quality

● Quality of submission

– the benefit must be big enough to spark interest

● Quality of submitter

– clear and active communication

– resilience

– reputation from previous submissions


Big or small – everything counts


Your contributions are welcome!


Thanks!

mariadb.org

@[email protected]

http://mariadb.org/

collaboration in open source - examples from mariadb

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