Different roles in a OSS project

Open source software (OSS) thrives on collaboration. From writing code to guiding community discussions, contributors wear many hats throughout a project’s lifecycle. Whether you’re polishing documentation, triaging issues, or shepherding releases, there’s a role for you in open source governance.

Below are the five broad roles you’ll commonly encounter in an OSS project:

Role	Typical Responsibilities	Example Activities
Author	Initialize project structure, choose a license	Create repo, add README, publish first release
Owner	Oversee legal/organizational aspects, enforce compliance	Transfer repo, set contribution agreements
Maintainer	Review/merge PRs, manage issues and releases	Apply labels, handle CI/CD, tag versions
Contributor	Submit code, docs, tests, advocacy	Open pull requests, write blog posts
User / Community Member	Provide feedback, report bugs, suggest features	File issues, participate in forums or chats

Note

Roles often overlap. For example, an Author may also serve as the first Maintainer, and active Users frequently become Contributors.

1. Author

The Author is the individual or organization that kickstarts the OSS project. Core responsibilities include:

Establishing the initial codebase and repository layout
Selecting and applying an open source license (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0)
Publicizing the project to attract early adopters and contributors

Warning

Choosing an OSI-approved license early prevents future legal complications.

2. Owner

A Project Owner holds the legal rights and administrative powers over the repository or organization:

Managing repository settings (transfer, archive, visibility)
Enforcing contributor license agreements (CLAs) and code of conduct
Handling trademark or brand-related decisions

Owners may delegate day-to-day tasks but retain final authority on legal matters.

3. Maintainer

Maintainers are the project’s day-to-day caretakers, ensuring code quality and community health:

Reviewing, approving, and merging pull requests
Organizing issue triage with labels and milestones
Refining documentation, release notes, and CI/CD pipelines
Granting or revoking collaborator access on platforms like GitHub or GitLab

Maintainers often set project roadmaps and coordinate with Contributors on large features.

4. Contributor

Contributors are anyone who submits recognized improvements to the project:

Code enhancements: new features, bug fixes, refactoring
Documentation updates: tutorials, API references, FAQs
Tests and quality-of-life tools: linters, templates, sample data
Community outreach: blog posts, conference talks, social media advocacy

Contributions can come from independent volunteers or members of partner organizations.

5. User / Community Member

Users and broader Community Members drive real-world validation and feedback:

Reporting bugs, requesting features, and filing support issues
Engaging in discussions via mailing lists, chat channels, or forums
Testing release candidates and offering performance feedback
Contributing translations, UX suggestions, or usage examples

Active Users often evolve into Contributors or Maintainers as their familiarity with the codebase grows.

Every open source project relies on these five roles to flourish. Whether you’re writing your first patch, filing a bug report, or steering the next major release, open source governance offers a flexible path for meaningful impact.

Links and References

Watch Video

Watch video content