We’re excited to announce our new PPMC member: Lu Fei. Lu Fei has been involved in Apache Answer community since last October. Today, he has submitted 42 PRs and resolved 31 Issues in both the main and the plugin repository. As an active community member, Lu Fei’s contribution covers bug fixes, new features, and doc improvement.
We invite Lu Fei to share his journey with Apache Answer and we hope that his story can inspire more open-source enthusiasts.
Meet Apache Answer
Becoming a PPMC member of the Apache Answer incubator project means so much to me. It is more than a milestone, but a valuable open-source journey watching Answer grow from small project to a thriving community.
I actually had a chance to join the SegmentFault team before Answer was even open-sourced, but things didn't work out. Looking back, I kind of kicked myself for missing out on this opportunity!
On October 24th 2022, Answer was launched and open sourced. When I saw that news, I jumped right in and checked on the repo. Then, I submitted my first PR: doc: update install. Answer is built with Go and Node.js while I’m a more of a PHP person, so I was swaying away from it.
The following year, Answer passed the vote and joined the ASF incubator. My second PR: fix: typo was submitted by that time.
The WeChat group of SegmentFault was buzzing with congrats, while a question arose: 'When can I get my own @apache.org email?' I muted the chat and got back to work but couldn’t help thinking about that question.
Get to Know Apache Software Foundation
After Answer became a polling project, I started learning more about it and here’s what I’d love to share.
The Apache Incubator
The Apache Incubator was started in 2002 to help projects get ready to become part of the ASF. The ASF is huge—it's the world's largest open-source foundation with thousands of contributors working on hundreds of projects. From web servers and big data to storage and machine learning, Apache software is everywhere. And it's all free to use!
Each project in the incubator will be assigned with a few mentors who help guide them as they grow and become fully-fledged ASF projects. Once a project has met all the requirements, it can graduate and become a top-level project (TLP).
The Apache Way
The "Apache Way" is a core philosophy of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) that outlines a set of community governance principles for open-source projects. It emphasizes transparency, collaboration, and community-driven project management, ensuring that projects aren't controlled by a select few but are driven forward by a group of contributors. Here are some key principles of the "Apache Way":
- Community-Driven Development: Projects are driven by the community, not individuals or companies.
- Transparency: All discussions and decisions are open to everyone. It is typically done through mailing lists or public discussion platforms.
- Consensus-Based Decision Making: Important decisions are made through consensus. This minuses confrontational disagreements while ensuring that most of the community supports key changes to the project.
- Respect and Inclusion: A welcoming environment for all contributors.
- Contributor-driven: Everyone has the opportunity to take on greater responsibilities through contributions. The progression from Contributor to Committer to PMC Member (Project Management Committee) is based on contributions and community trust.
By following these principles, Apache projects foster collaboration, innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Becoming a Committer
I was hooked on Apache Answer because of its tech stack. As a developer eager to learn Go, this was the perfect opportunity to put my skills into practice. I started with good first issue which was a great way to get my feet wet. I started with some simple tasks, like fixing typos and adding small features.
The community was incredibly supportive, and with their guidance, I gradually gained a deeper understanding of the project's architecture. As my Go skills improved, so did my contributions. I was thrilled when I was invited to become a Committer in June 2024. After signing the ICLA, I couldn't wait to have my Apache account!
On June 27, 2024, I received the email: Welcome to the Apache Software Foundation, and it was the time to unlock my ASF committer account.
Just a week later, on July 8th, I was added to the Apache Answer Committer list. Becoming a Committer is more than an identity, but taking on more responsibilities, including code reviews, quality checks, and helping new contributors.
From Committer to PPMC Member
Becoming a Committer made me even more invested in Apache Answer. Beyond active participation in mailing lists and voting on releases, I started diving into issues, tackling bug fixes and feature enhancements. I also contributed new plugins, such as Tencent COS Storage, DingTalk Notifications, and Baidu Reviewer.
Being nominated for PPMC was both exciting and humbling. As a PPMC member, I’ll be working closely with the community to guide the project's direction, ensure we're following the Apache Way, and attract more developers. It's a big responsibility, but I'm thrilled to be a part of it.
Join the Community
Apache Answer is a dynamic community. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, there’s always a space for you. Every part of Apache Answer, from its design to its code, is the work of talented people like you.
If you're into Q&A platform or open source, you should definitely check it out. Start small, maybe by fixing a typo or improving some documentation. You'll quickly learn the ropes and start making a real impact.
I want to give a huge shout-out to the amazing Apache Answer community. Your support has been incredible, and I'm excited to see where we go next.