Contribute/Coding/Pathways

This document describes the contribution pathways towards becoming a core Firefox contributor, including goals, metrics, and followup, to help Mozilla meaningfully and measurably grow and maintain our contributor base.

It is broadly based on the Pathways model adopted by the Communiy Building Team. Engagement points that feed into to the Coding pathway are listed on the Engagement page.

As of early 2014, Mozilla's biggest challenges around community growth revolve around accessibility and retention; the two biggest dials we can turn to

Contribution Tiers

The Foot In The Door

This is the very

• Installing Nightly
  • Metrics: mzl.la, download count
  • Rewards/recognition: Thanks on Nightly page.
  • Related initiatives: Proposed for
  • Followup: The Nightly first-run page includes invitations to join Mozillians, file bugs and hack on Firefox.
  • Next steps: Linked off

• Creating Bugzilla account
  • Metrics: Bugzilla (feeds Baloo)
  • Rewards/recognition: A badge (automatic)
  • Related initiatives:
  • Followup:
  • Next steps:

Tier 1

• Filing a bug
  • Metrics: Bugzilla
  • Rewards/recognition: Non-spurius bugs
  • Related initiatives: Automated badge-awarding and metrics integrated into Baloo gives us lots of
  • Followup:
  • Next steps:

• Reproducing a bug:
  • Metrics: HG (?)
  • Rewards/recognition: A badge (manual)
  • Related initiatives:
  • Followup: This may count as a contribution - up to the discretion of the filer - towards adding that contributor to ** Mozilla’s list of contributors.
  • Next steps:

• Creating a Mozillians Account
  • Metrics: Mozillians.org

Rewards/recognition: No Related initiatives: Followup: The signup process should present users with engineering-relevant groups to sign up for. Next steps: Maintain and advance the list

Tier 2

• Submitting a patch:
  • Metrics: Bugzilla
  • Rewards/recognition:
  • Related initiatives:
  • Followup: Prompt. As per here we know that prompt review of a patch is strongly correlated to contributor retention.
  • Next steps:

• Having (1,3,5,10) patche(s) r+’ed and merged
  • Metrics: Mercurial
  • Rewards/recognition: Name in about:credits, callout in release notes for first patch.
  • Related initiatives:
  • Followup: When a patch is r+’ed, a first-time contributor should be guided towards their next bug.
  • Next steps:

== 3rd Tier ===.

Mentoring a new contributor through the contribution process. Metrics: Unclear Rewards/recognition: Badge on Mozillians, mention in “mentors” section in release notes. Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Gaining Level 1 commit access Metrics: HG Rewards/recognition: Badge? Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Providing patch feedback / Conducting reviews Metrics: Rewards/recognition: Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Gaining Level 3 commit access Metrics: Rewards/recognition: Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Checking in your own code to repo Metrics: Rewards/recognition: Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Pushing someone else's code to repo Metrics: Rewards/recognition: Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Mentoring a bug Metrics: Rewards/recognition: Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps:

Becoming a module owner or peer Metrics: Rewards/recognition: Related initiatives: Followup: Next steps: