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Individuals in the following roles are the backbone of our community.
Frequently, individuals will act in different roles at different times, or multiple at once.
For example, a maintainer will frequently act as a contributor and a contributor is likely a regular user of the tools they contribute to.
Click on a role below to learn more about it!
A Project User engages with the project primarily by utilizing its features, following the guidelines set forth in its license. While they may not contribute directly, their usage helps validate the project’s relevance and functionality, providing passive feedback through adoption and interaction with the software.
Feedback may be provided by users through the form of GitHub Issues or Discussions, depending on the preference of the project.
This role does not require any permissions on the GitHub Project.
Next level: Project Contributor
A Project Contributor plays a pivotal role in shaping the project through code, documentation, or design. Whether fixing bugs, implementing features, or enhancing the user experience—contributors bring fresh perspectives and energy. Their work supports the project’s evolution, bridging the gap between the project’s goals and the community’s needs.
This role does not require any permissions on the GitHub Project.
You can be a Contributor by opening a Pull Request following our guidelines on submitting a contribution.
For your contribution to be accepted, each individual must sign our CLA, ensuring that their contributions comply with our legal requirements.
Paul Botsco (our friendly CLA Bot) will comment on your first pull request, providing you with the latest links and helpful information. It will also provide feedback should you have missed any of our contribution guidelines.
Once the CLA is signed, contributors can engage with the project by opening issues to report bugs, request features, or suggest improvements. They can also submit pull requests (PRs) to offer code, documentation, or design enhancements.
In the rare event that the CLA text is updated, Paul Botsco will comment on your next pull request to guide you through the process again.
This role does not require any permissions changes.
Next level: Project Maintainer
The Project Maintainer is the backbone of a project’s success, balancing technical leadership with community engagement. They curate contributions, ensure code quality, and manage project direction. With an eye for detail and a commitment to the project’s vision, maintainers foster an inclusive and collaborative environment, enabling consistent growth and innovation.
Each project has a GitHub Team which contains it’s maintainers. It is named @sonatype-nexus-community/[PROJECT] - e.g. @sonatype-nexus-community/the-cla.
Project Maintainers are also Code Owners for the respective project - thus the CODEOWNERS file for the project should include the above team.
Contributors who demonstrate consistent commitment to a project, offering meaningful improvements and actively engaging in discussions, may be considered for a maintainer role.
Becoming a maintainer requires building long-term trust with the Organizational Admins and the project’s existing maintainers. This trust is earned through high-quality contributions, design proposals, and a clear understanding of the project’s vision.
Maintainers not only contribute technically but also help guide the project’s direction by reviewing PRs, managing issues, and fostering collaboration within the community.
Next level: Organization Admin
The Organization Administrators serve as the strategic overseers of our GitHub organization, responsible for governance, permissions, and maintaining the integrity of the repository ecosystem. Their role ensures seamless collaboration, safeguards project resources, and provides stewardship over organizational assets — ensuring the community’s long-term sustainability and security.
Organization Admins are selected from the Sonatype OSPO and are entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the GitHub organization’s logistics. This role is reserved for those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of the project ecosystem.
Organization Admins manage permissions, enforce policies, and ensure that this organization remains a secure and collaborative environment. With a maximum of three Organization Admins at any time, this role requires a proven track record of dedication, trustworthiness, and strategic vision within the open-source community.
This role is reflected by “Owner” status on the GitHub organization.
There may only be three Owners at any time.