Apache Incubator Mentor Onboarding

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose of This Guide

Welcome to the Apache Incubator mentoring team! Thank you for supporting new projects. This guide will orient you to your role, share key resources, and help you support your podlings confidently and sustainably.

1.2 Initial Checklist

Once you agree to mentor a podling, start by:

2. Welcome from the Incubator PMC

Thank you for considering mentoring an ASF project! The Incubator PMC appreciates your dedication to guiding new projects on their path to becoming top-level Apache projects. Your role is critical in nurturing healthy communities and helping podlings embrace The Apache Way. We encourage you to reach out on the IPMC general mailing list with any questions or challenges. Together, we build Apache’s future.

3. Mentor Role and Responsibilities

3.1 Mentor Eligibility

Mentors must be Incubator PMC members to ensure they understand ASF policies and can participate in formal voting, which is critical to podling development. Any ASF member can ask to become an IPMC member.

New mentors may find it helpful to review the training resources in Section 13 to gain additional confidence before engaging with their first podling.

3.2 Primary Responsibilities

As a Mentor, you guide and support your podling to:

  • Learn and live The Apache Way—incorporating values like transparency, meritocracy, and collaboration into their project.
  • Follow ASF policies on governance, licensing, and releases.
  • Encourage a welcoming, active, and sustainable community.
  • Assist in creating clear and thoughtful podling reports.
  • Ensure reports are submitted on time and sign off on reports.
  • Participate in release and graduation votes as part of the Incubator PMC.
  • Maintain a presence in mailing lists—answer questions and address issues early.

3.3 Being a Trusted Guide

Explain not just what to do but why it matters. Empower podlings to become self-sufficient communities aligned with ASF values.

3.4 Your First Steps as Mentor

  • Subscribe to the podling’s dev@ and private@ mailing lists.
  • Introduce yourself on the dev@ list, explaining your role and how to contact you.
  • Help the podling complete any outstanding setup tasks.
  • Encourage open, transparent discussions on mailing lists.

3.5 Common Early Challenges

Watch for issues like:

  • Using GitHub or private channels instead of mailing lists to make decisions. Private, off-list decisions reduce transparency.
  • Slow adoption of ASF infrastructure, like mailing lists and issue trackers.
  • Overdependence on a single company or individual.
  • Misuse of ASF trademarks.
  • Lack of contributor onboarding or community growth.
  • Misunderstanding of ASF governance or The Apache Way.
  • Missing or unclear documentation that blocks new contributors.
  • Delays or gaps in reporting.
  • Use of non-compliant licenses or dependencies.

3.6 What Mentors Do Not Do

Mentors support and guide, but do not:

  • Control or direct podling decisions - communities govern themselves, following The Apache Way.
  • Act as project managers or primary contributors.
  • Make unilateral governance or policy decisions.
  • Replace the Incubator PMC or ASF officers.
  • Handle all conflicts independently - escalate serious issues as needed.
  • Keep key discussions or decisions private - always promote transparency.
  • Speak on behalf of the podling - the community should represent itself.
  • Override community consensus - mentors advise, not dictate.

4. Communication and Community Building

4.1 Encouraging Mailing List Use

The mailing list is the heart of Apache communities. Encourage podlings to keep discussions public, documented, and archived to build trust and welcome new contributors.

4.2 Supporting Diversity and Inclusion

Create a welcoming environment for contributors of all backgrounds and skill levels. Promote respectful, inclusive language and celebrate all contributions.

4.3 Facilitating Conflict Resolution

Model respectful, empathetic communication. Help podlings discuss issues constructively and reference ASF guidelines. Escalate when necessary.

4.4 Encouraging Healthy Decision-Making

Guide podlings in making decisions openly on the mailing list through community consensus. Promote a lazy consensus for routine matters and reserve formal votes for key actions, such as releases or adding committers/PPMC members.

5. Time Commitment and Effort

Mentoring is volunteer work with variable time demands:

  • Typically 2 to 10 hours per month per podling, possibly more during setup and busy periods.
  • Reviewing and giving timely feedback on quarterly reports.
  • Joining mailing list discussions, release reviews, and graduation votes.

Even small, consistent contributions make a big difference!

6. Mentoring Best Practices

  • Listen carefully before advising.
  • Empower podlings to lead collaboratively, avoiding micromanagement.
  • Teach the Apache Way and explain the rationale behind its policies and processes.
  • Encourage transparency in all discussions, reinforce the use of the mailing list, and promote open decision-making.
  • Promote inclusivity and respect, model welcoming, constructive communication.
  • Provide timely feedback, especially on reports and releases.
  • Support independence, step back as the podling becomes self-sustaining.
  • Be patient and persistent.  Incubation can take time.

7. FAQ for Mentors

Q: How often should I communicate with my podling?
A: Aim for regular check-ins (e.g., monthly), but adjust based on the podling’s activity and needs.

Q: What if the podling is unresponsive or inactive?
A: Reach out politely on mailing lists and privately. Encourage engagement and ask if any blockers exist. If inactivity persists, escalate to the Incubator PMC.

Q: How do I handle conflicts within the podling?
A: Promote respectful discussion on mailing lists, reference ASF guidelines, and encourage open communication. For serious or persistent issues, escalate to the IPMC.

Q: What should I do if someone is disruptive or difficult in the community?
A: Address behavior promptly by reminding contributors of the ASF Code of Conduct. Encourage respectful communication.

Q: When and how should I escalate issues?
A: Escalate serious problems such as legal concerns, repeated misconduct, stalled progress, or infrastructure non-compliance to the Incubator PMC or other relevant mailing list.

Q: Can I mentor more than one podling?
A: Yes, but manage your time carefully to avoid burnout. Prioritize quality over quantity to provide effective support to each podling.

Q: How can I help podlings attract and retain new contributors?
A: Encourage clear documentation, welcoming communication, and inclusive community practices. Highlight opportunities for new contributors to get involved early and ways for the podling to promote itself.

Q: What is the best way to support podling reports?
A: Review reports thoroughly and provide timely, constructive feedback. Focus on community health, governance, and progress rather than technical details. Encourage clear, honest, and well-organized reporting.

Q: How should I handle late or missing reports?
A: Reach out to the podling promptly to understand the causes and offer assistance. Escalate to the Incubator PMC if reports continue to remain overdue or incomplete.

Q: How involved should I be in technical decisions?
A: Mentors advise on governance and community health but do not dictate technical choices. Committers and contributors should lead technical decisions within the podling.

8. Reviewing Podling Reports

Podlings reports keep the Incubator PMC and ASF Board informed about the project's status and health.

8.1 A Good Report Should:

  • Be clear, concise, and well-organized.
  • Summarize milestones, releases, and community activity.
  • Provide an honest health assessment, including risks or blockers.
  • Report governance updates and community dynamics.
  • Outline plans, priorities, and needed support.
  • Demonstrate policy compliance.
  • Explain relevant metrics with context, rather than just presenting raw data.
  • Reflect progress toward graduation readiness.
  • Be understandable to readers unfamiliar with the project

8.2 Warning Signs of Poor Reports:

  • Vagueness or lack of detail.
  • Ignored problems or risks.
  • Unexplained or irrelevant statistics.
  • Copy-pasted content without updates.
  • Overly optimistic tone ignoring setbacks.
  • Poor language quality or AI-generated text.
  • Lack of clarity for non-expert readers.
  • Inconsistent or contradictory information.
  • No indication of progress toward graduation.
  • Missing community engagement or contributor health details.

9. Handling Problems and Escalation

Look for:

  • Lack of transparency or secretive decisions.
  • Slow ASF infrastructure adoption.
  • Dominance by one company or individual.
  • Low community engagement or contributor loss.
  • Non-compliance with ASF policies.
  • Conflicts or disruptive behavior within the community.
  • Legal or licensing concerns.
  • Slow to make releases.
  • Staying more than 3-4 years in the Incubator.

Escalate serious issues to the Incubator PMC or ASF officers promptly.

10. Graduation Process

Support podlings in meeting essential criteria such as:

  • Building a sustainable, active community with steady growth and diverse contributors.
  • Maintaining transparent, meritocratic governance following The Apache Way.
  • Fully adopting ASF infrastructure and complying with The ASFs policies.
  • Delivering successful releases under ASF licensing requirements.
  • Growing the PPMC and increasing the number of project committers.
  • Respecting ASF trademarks and branding guidelines.
  • Completing the Incubator graduation vote successfully.

11. Mentor Offboarding Process

After graduation or the retirement of a podling, mentors can provide feedback.

11.1 Reflect on the Mentorship Experience

Review the Best Practices for Mentors and Mentor Onboarding documents, documenting key takeaways on what worked well and areas for improvement.

11.2 Provide Feedback (Optional)

Share feedback with the podling on strengths and areas for growth. Optionally, provide feedback to the Incubator PMC on the mentoring process.

11. Contact Points and Support

12. Communication Best Practices

  • Be clear and concise; avoid unexplained jargon.
  • Be patient and respectful of diverse backgrounds.
  • Encourage open, public mailing list discussions.
  • Use inclusive language.
  • Be mindful of time zones and the nature of asynchronous communication.
  • Listen actively and acknowledge contributions.
  • Encourage questions and feedback.
  • Model The Apache Way in interactions.
  • Handle conflicts calmly; escalate if needed.

13. Resources for Mentors

The following references provide essential guidance for mentoring in the Apache Incubator. They cover governance, policies, and best practices for supporting podlings.

  • Apache Incubator Website - The main entry point for information about the Incubator, including current podlings, policies, and documentation.

  • Mentor Handbook -  The central reference tying together all mentor responsibilities, guidance, and training materials.

  • Incubator General Mailing List - The open list for discussions about incubation, mentoring, and podling progress. A valuable channel for sharing experiences and asking questions.

  • Incubator Policy - Defines the formal rules of incubation, including podling requirements, releases, and graduation.

  • Mentor Responsibilities - Outlines the expected duties of mentors, including reporting, voting, and community guidance.

  • The Apache Incubator Cookbook - Practical, step-by-step advice for podlings and mentors on common tasks and challenges.

  • ASF Maturity Model - Framework to evaluate a podling’s readiness for graduation based on community and process maturity.

  • The Apache Way - Core ASF philosophy: meritocracy, transparency, open collaboration, and community-driven governance.

  • Best Practices for Mentors - Guidance on effective mentoring approaches, with real-world advice for supporting podlings.

  • ASF Infrastructure Wiki - Information on mailing lists, version control, issue trackers, and other ASF-provided infrastructure.

  • ASF Legal Resources - Policies on licensing, IP clearance, and handling third-party code.

  • Distribution Guide - Instructions for properly publishing and distributing releases under ASF rules.

  • Assembling License and Notice Files - Requirements and examples for creating compliant LICENSE and NOTICE files.

  • ASF 3rd Party Licensing Policy - Clarifies what third-party dependencies may be included in ASF projects and under which conditions.

  • Apache Voting Guide - Explains ASF voting processes, including consensus, majority votes, and binding vs. non-binding votes.

  • ASF Code of Conduct - Sets expectations for respectful, inclusive behavior across ASF projects.

  • Retiring Podlings - Outlines the process for retiring inactive or stalled podlings from the Incubator.

13.1 Training Resources

In addition to the written resources above, the Incubator provides some draft interactive training materials for Mentors and IPMC members. These resources help reinforce best practices and prepare you for mentoring podlings effectively:

  • IPMC Mentor Quiz - Knowledge check on mentor responsibilities and ASF processes.

  • IPMC Mentor Scenarios - Practical mentoring challenges and decision-making exercises.

  • IPMC Incubator Quiz - Knowledge check on Incubator policies, reporting, and processes.

  • IPMC Scenarios - Case studies on incubation challenges such as graduation readiness, community health, and governance.

We welcome feedback on this material, especially suggestions for improvements or corrections.

Privacy Notice

These quizzes are hosted on a third-party platform (Canvas). The ASF does not have a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with this provider. Please take standard precautions regarding privacy and personal data.

To the best of our knowledge, the platform is GDPR compliant and collects only minimal personal information (name, email address, and possibly IP address). No additional personal data is tracked or retained.

14. Conflict of Interest

Mentors must maintain impartiality and transparency.

  • Disclosure: Clearly disclose any potential conflicts to the Incubator PMC and the podling community.
  • Avoidance: Refrain from situations that may compromise impartiality.
  • Recusal: Recuse yourself from related discussions or votes.

If you are unsure, please consult the Incubator PMC.

15. Glossary

  • ASF (Apache Software Foundation): The non-profit organization that oversees Apache projects and their governance.
  • Podling: A project incubating within the Apache Incubator, working toward becoming a top-level Apache project.
  • PMC (Project Management Committee): A group responsible for the management and oversight of an Apache project.
  • PPMC (Podling PMC): The group responsible for the podling’s governance and project management during incubation.
  • Incubator PMC: The group that oversees the incubation process and mentors.
  • The Apache Way: The ASF’s philosophy emphasizing community-led development, meritocracy, transparency, and openness.
  • Lazy Consensus: A decision-making process in which a lack of objection within a given timeframe implies consent.
  • Committer: Generally, a contributor with write access to the project’s code repository. Committers focusing on contributions related to documentation or testing may have limited access to the code repository
  • Release Vote: A formal vote within The ASF to approve a new official release of the software.
  • Graduation: The process by which a podling becomes a fully-fledged Apache top-level project.

Thank you for your dedication to the Apache Incubator! Your efforts help new projects thrive through open collaboration.



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