Merge pull request #48 from funnelfiasco/add_contributing

Add a Contributing page

Author: mihaimaruseac

content/contributing.md

@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+---
+title: "Contributing to GUAC"
+section: single
+type: page
+include_footer: true
+---
+
+Interested in making a contribution to GUAC?
+This is the place to start!
+Here are a few things you need to know.
+
+If you're looking for an issue to get started on, check the ["good first issue"](https://github.com/search?q=user%3Aguacsec+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22++&type=Issues&ref=advsearch&l=&l=&state=open) and ["help wanted"](https://github.com/search?q=user%3Aguacsec+label%3A%22help+wanted%22++&type=Issues&ref=advsearch&l=&l=&state=open) tags in GitHub.
+
+## Code of Conduct
+
+GUAC is an OpenSSF Incubating Project.
+The [OpenSSF Code of Conduct](https://openssf.org/community/code-of-conduct/) applies to all interactions in the GUAC community.
+
+## Developer Certificate of Origin
+
+We require all commits in a pull request to contain a `Signed-off-by` line which can be added by using the `-s` flag of `git commit`.
+This is to enforce [a Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO)](https://wiki.linuxfoundation.org/dco).
+
+## Contributor ladder
+
+This contributor ladder outlines different contributor roles within the project, along with
+responsibilities and privileges that come with them.
+
+Since GUAC is a complex project, there are 5 software topic areas of interest:
+
+- Ingestion: ingest software security metadata. Needs to write parsers for
+  documents, maintain ingestion logic, write new collectors, etc.
+- API: define the GraphQL/REST interface used between ingestion pipeline and
+  backend, and between backend and GUAC-based applications and front-ends.
+- Backends: define efficient code to interface with database backends (Neo4j,
+  etc.).
+- Front-end: GUAC visualisation libraries, Javascript, CSS
+- Clients: GUAC CLI, CI Checks, Policy Engines, IDE Plugins, etc.
+
+In addition, there are 2 non-code topic areas:
+
+- Documentation: Maintaining docs and examples
+    - Repositories:
+        - guacsec/guac-docs
+- Web and marketing: Maintain GUAC’s public presence
+    - Repositories:
+        - guacsec/guac-landing
+        - (eventual social media accounts)
+
+The contribution ladder is summarized in the table below.
+All software and non-code topic areas use this latter.
+
+| Role | Responsibilities | Requirements | Privileges | GitHub access level
+| ---- | ---------------- | ------------ | ---------- | -------------------
+| [Community Participant](#community-participant) | Follow [OpenSSF Code of Conduct](https://openssf.org/community/code-of-conduct/) | N/A | N/A | Read (default) 
+| [Reviewer](#reviewer) | Review contributions from other members | Prove technical expertise in at least one GUAC topic area | Can approve PRs | Write 
+| [Owner](#owner) | Set direction and priorities for topic area. Approval of contributions | Deep technical expertise in topic area. Proven record of reviews and authorship. | Invitation to owner&maintainers only channels | Write
+| [Maintainer](#maintainer) | Set direction and priorities of project. Participate in weekly syncs | Expertise in 3 out of the 5 topic areas | (almost) complete repository access | Maintain            
+
+### Ladder levels
+
+Each level of the ladder is also described in more details below.
+
+#### Community Participant
+
+Each new contributor to GUAC starts at this level.
+There is no longer a formal requirement to
+[register desire to contribute in issue #1](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/issues/1).
+
+There are no requirements and no privileges.
+Every community participant can create issues, fork the repository, create PRs, add comments to issues and PRs.
+
+#### Reviewer
+
+Once a community participant has demonstrated expertise in one GUAC topic area, owners and/or maintainers can propose graduating the community participant to the Reviewer role, upon a maintainer majority vote.
+
+A reviewer will be responsible of reviewing contributions from other contributors that touch the corresponding topic area.
+They should ensure that the PRs are adequately tested, follow the guidelines for the specific topic area.
+
+#### Owner
+
+A reviewer with significant review history and proven record of authorship in a specific GUAC topic area can be promoted to Owner status, upon a maintainer majority vote.
+
+The Owner is in full control over the specific topic area.
+They are expected to set direction and priorities, resolve technical trade-offs, prioritize between adding new features and handling technical debt.
+As such, they must show a deep understanding of technical problems involved in this area.
+
+Owners are invited to the GUAC owners and maintainers Slack channel.
+
+Owners will be added to `CODEOWNERS` file, so they will be notified of PRs that touch their area of interest.
+
+#### Maintainer
+
+An owner that gains a deep understanding of GUAC architecture and design and can prove this by being an OWNER in at least 3 topic areas (including both software and non-code topic areas) will be promoted to maintainer, after a n-1 approval vote from the other maintainers, according to
+the processes specified in [the governance document](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/blob/main/GOVERNANCE.md).
+
+A maintainer has almost full access to the repository and is invited to all maintainer meetings, where they can contribute input that will set direction and priorities of the entire project.
+They must have ability to commit to participating to at least the weekly maintainer sync meetings (currently 2 meetings totaling up to 2 hours every week).
+
+A maintainer might be required to work with GUAC clients, thus they might be required to sign NDAs.
+
+The [GUAC governance document](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/blob/main/GOVERNANCE.md) also details the role of technical advisory member, which is offered to members of the community that
+have provided valuable input.
+The technical advisory members have a consulting role and are the only role without an activity requirement.
+
+### Moving up and down the ladder
+
+To request being moved up the ladder, or to step down voluntarily, file an issue in the [governance repo](https://github.com/guacsec/governance).
+
+#### Promotion
+
+If you are requesting promotion, please include links to significant contributions in support of your request.
+See [governance#15](https://github.com/guacsec/governance/issues/15) as an example.
+The requirements for each level are given in the preceding sections.
+
+#### Inactivity, Stepping down
+
+Each role in the contribution ladder requires maintaining active contributions at the corresponding level.
+Inactivity is harmful to the project, so maintainers can decide to remove privileges from inactive contributors, after a majority vote.
+Inactivity is defined as periods longer than 3 months during which no contribution is being done.
+
+Contributors also have the option of stepping down voluntarily, by contacting the maintainers when circumstances affect future contribution potential.
+For highly active contributors that completely step away from the project, we will create an emeritus process.
+
+GUAC contributors are happy to help you advance along the contributor ladder!
+
+
+## Contacts
+
+### Reviewers list
+
+| Reviewer | Area | Vote |
+|-|-|-|
+| [dejanb](https://github.com/dejanb) | Ingestion | [issues/1885](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/issues/1885) |
+| [mdeicas](https://github.com/mdeicas) | API | [issues/1885](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/issues/1885) |
+
+
+### Owners list
+
+| Owner | Area | Vote |
+|-|-|-|
+| [mrizzi](https://github.com/mrizzi) | [Backends (ent)](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/tree/4012842fab5d738f9bebf03f0cb44fc7ce39438b/pkg/assembler/backends/ent) | [issues/1310](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/issues/1310) |
+
+
+### Maintainers
+
+See the [MAINTAINERS file](https://github.com/guacsec/guac/blob/main/MAINTAINERS) for a list of current maintainers.