Based off of https://beam.apache.org/contribute/become-a-committer/

Become a Committer

An Apache MXNet committer has write access to the repository for merging pull requests, but you don’t have to be a code contributor to become a committer. Becoming a committer means that you have the project’s trust. Read the ASF documentation for more about being a committer in the Apache Software Foundation.

The Apache MXNet PPMC, (Podling Project Management Committee), makes someone a committer via nomination, discussion, and then Consensus Approval: i.e. at least 3 +1 votes and no vetoes. Any veto must be accompanied by reasoning and the vetoer must be prepared to defend it. Other PPMC members can attempt to encourage them to change their minds. PPMC members should strive to nominate committers from outside their own organization.

We use data from as many sources as possible to inform our reasoning. Here are some examples:

  • dev@ archives and statistics
  • user@ archives and statistics
  • Git metrics for MXNet
  • Active user support answering questions (discussion forum - English, Chinese, StackOverflow, Github, Slack MXNet channel etc.)
  • Clear areas of ownership (Sparse tensor support, Gluon interface, New language bindings, Documentation, Website etc..)
  • Organizing and contributing to public events and social media promoting and evangelizing MXNet and its ecosystem (blogs, tutorials, videos, presentations, books etc)
  • Firsthand PMC testimonials
  • Code reviews given and received on MXNet

In particular, code reviews are encouraged as good initial contributions to gain understanding of the code base as well as the bar of quality that is required to merge the code. The PPMC strives to actively identify current reviewers for committer consideration.

The PPMC has assembled the following set of guidelines for becoming a committer.

An Apache MXNet committer…

Takes many forms

There are many actions other than coding that build the trust we place in a committer - code review, design discussion, user support, community outreach, improving infrastructure, documentation, project management, etc.

Knows, upholds, and reinforces the Apache Software Foundation code of conduct

See the ASF documentation. In particular, they manifestly strive to:

  • Be open
  • Be empathetic
  • Be welcoming
  • Be friendly
  • Be patient
  • Be collaborative
  • Be inquisitive
  • Be careful in the words that they choose

Knows, upholds, and reinforces the responsibilities of an Apache Software Foundation committer

See the ASF documentation.

  • They help create a product that will outlive the interest of any particular volunteer (including themselves)
  • They grow and maintain the health of the Apache community
  • They help out with surrounding work, such as the website & documentation, education, outreach and evangelism
  • They help users
  • They can be trusted to decide when code is ready for release, or when to ask someone else to make the judgment
  • They can be trusted to decide when to merge code (if a code contributor) or when to ask someone else to make the judgment

Knows, upholds, and reinforces the MXNet community’s practices

  • They have a proven commitment to the project
  • They share their intentions with the community
  • They accept and integrate community feedback in their plans, designs, code, etc.
  • They earnestly try to make MXNet better with their contributions
  • In particular, if a code contributor:
    • They earnestly try to make MXNet better with their own code
    • They earnestly try to make MXNet better with code review
    • They accept and integrate feedback on their code
    • They know, follow, and enforce MXNet’s practices while reviewing/merging code - style, documentation, testing, backward compatibility, etc.


Becoming an Apache MXNet PPMC member


The Apache MXNet PPMC, (Podling Project Management Committee), is responsible for proper management and oversight of the MXNet project following the guidelines of Apache PMC and especially Apache PPMC. An Apache MXNet PMC member is either an inaugural member of the project or a committer that was elected due to merit for the evolution of the project and demonstration of commitment. In addition to committer rights and responsibilities, they have the right to vote for the community-related decisions and the right to propose an active contributor for committership and PPMC membership. The Apache MXNet PPMC strives to have all committers participate in the PPMC.

The PPMC knows, upholds, and reinforces the Apache Software Foundation code of conduct

See the ASF documentation. In particular, in addition to rights and responsibilities of a MXNet project contributor PPMC members manifestly strive to:

  • Regularly review activity of contributors and committers for consideration as committer and/or PPMC member.
  • Mentor contributors to become eligible for consideration as committer
  • Mentor committers to become eligible for consideration as PMC member
  • Regularly review the state and maturity of the project following to grow and mature to community and project to be considered as Apache TLP

An Apache MXNet contributor is considered as PPMC member:

In addition to the contributions as committer they participated at a community level, not just a technical one.  A contributor will be considered as project committer first. After the committer has shown contributions at the community level, the committer will be considered for PPMC membership. PPMC members should strive to identify nominee for PPMC membership outside of their own organization.

The Apache MXNet PPMC makes someone a PPMC member via nomination, discussion, and then Consensus Approval: i.e. at least 3 +1 votes and no vetoes. Any veto must be accompanied by reasoning and the vetoer must be prepared to defend it. Other PPMC member can attempt to encourage them to change their minds.

Committer Rights and Responsibilities

  • Committers have write access to the code repository.
  • Committers have an @apache.org email address.
  • Committers can make short-term decisions for the project, approving and merging pull requests.
  • Committer Vote is NOT considered binding thus the vote you cast do not have Veto on issues that require consensus.
  • Committer's can request changes on Pull Requests but it does not constitute Veto, PMC can agree to approve or reject requested changes.

PMC Rights and Responsibilities

  • PMC makes the long-term decisions with regard to the project.
  • PMC members have write access to the code repository.
  • PMC members have @apache.org email address.
  • PMC has access to private@ email list
  • PMC has the right to vote for the community-related decisions, PMC Votes are binding.
  • PMC has the right to propose active users for committership.
  • PMC must vote on any formal release of the project's software product.

Both PMC/committer should strive to be diplomatic and reach consensus with discussion when possible.



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