What I Learned from Maintaining Open Source
open sourcesoftware engineering
After maintaining several open source projects, here are the lessons that have stuck with me.
Documentation is Product
The most impactful thing you can do for adoption is write good documentation. Code quality matters, but documentation quality determines whether people can actually use your project.
Say No More Often
Every feature you add is a feature you must maintain forever. Be very selective about what gets merged.
Burnout is Real
Open source maintainer burnout is a well-documented phenomenon. Protect your time and energy:
- Set clear boundaries on response times
- Take breaks without guilt
- Automate repetitive tasks
- Build a community of co-maintainers
Contribution Guidelines Save Time
A clear CONTRIBUTING.md file prevents 90% of contribution friction. Include:
- How to set up the development environment
- Code style requirements
- Testing expectations
- Pull request process