A transparent, merit-based path from first-time contributor to trusted maintainer in the KubeStellar community
Start your journey in the KubeStellar community
Minimum of 3 contributions (bug reports, documentation, or code PRs)
Display enthusiasm and interest in long-term participation
+2 more
12-week journey to demonstrate commitment and skill
Open at least 6 'help wanted' issues
Merge at least 20 PRs (8 within first 6 weeks)
+3 more
Recognized contributor with compensation and responsibility
Successfully complete at least one 12-week paid mentorship cycle
Help onboard and support at least one new mentee or contributor
+3 more
Guide and support the next generation of contributors
Demonstrate technical leadership in one or more key areas
Maintain consistent contribution activity
+2 more
Trusted leader with full project responsibilities
≥2 'Help Wanted' issues every 2 months
≥3 PRs merged every 2 months
+2 more
Empower and advocate for KubeStellar adoption
Actively promote KubeStellar through blog posts, presentations, or social media
Represent KubeStellar at meetups, conferences, or community events
+3 more
Start your journey in the KubeStellar community
Minimum of 3 contributions (bug reports, documentation, or code PRs)
Display enthusiasm and interest in long-term participation
Be active on GitHub and Slack
Informal application or nomination to join the mentee program
Contributors in good standing (meeting their metrics for help-wanted issue creation, PR reviews, and merged PRs) qualify for professional opportunities including assignment to mentor projects.
12-week journey to demonstrate commitment and skill
Open at least 6 'help wanted' issues
Merge at least 20 PRs (8 within first 6 weeks)
Attend weekly team meetings or submit summaries
Work collaboratively with mentors
Receive mentor's recommendation
Unpaid mentees in good standing receive certificates of completion, letters of recommendation, and priority consideration for paid mentorship programs (GSoC, LFX, etc.).
Recognized contributor with compensation and responsibility
Successfully complete at least one 12-week paid mentorship cycle
Help onboard and support at least one new mentee or contributor
Submit ≥3 PR reviews
Submit ≥5 helpful comments on PRs or issues
Present or co-present at a community call
Paid mentees in good standing receive professional references, career mentorship, and opportunities to lead projects or mentor others.
Guide and support the next generation of contributors
Demonstrate technical leadership in one or more key areas
Maintain consistent contribution activity
Engage with the community in GitHub and Slack
Approved by core maintainers following a public review process
Mentors in good standing can lead initiatives, represent KubeStellar at conferences, receive speaker support, have input on project roadmap decisions, and are eligible to receive training / exam vouchers from CNCF for successfully completed projects.
Trusted leader with full project responsibilities
≥2 'Help Wanted' issues every 2 months
≥3 PRs merged every 2 months
≥8 PR reviews or constructive comments every 2 months
≥3 community meeting attendances every 2 months
Maintainers in good standing have full write access, voting rights on project decisions, and can serve as official project representatives.
Empower and advocate for KubeStellar adoption
Actively promote KubeStellar through blog posts, presentations, or social media
Represent KubeStellar at meetups, conferences, or community events
Create educational content (tutorials, videos, demos) about KubeStellar
Engage with users to gather feedback and support adoption
Maintain maintainer-level activity (issues, PRs, community engagement)
Ambassadors in good standing qualify for speaking opportunities, co-authoring blog posts, early access to new features, and promotional support for their advocacy efforts.
Join the KubeStellar community and begin climbing the maintainer ladder today