Community

Community Overview

The Plakar community drives the evolution of a new open-source standard for data protection. This documentation page gives you a practical overview of how to join, participate, and stay informed.

Looking for the public facing community page with visuals and calls to action? Visit the dedicated portal: Community Portal.

Quick Access

• Main Community Page: community
• Code of Conduct: Code of Conduct
• Contributing Guide: Contributing Guide

Contact & Social Channels

Choose the channel that matches your intent:

• Discord (real-time chat & open work sessions)
• Reddit (asynchronous discussions & feedback)
• X (announcements & progress)
• Bluesky (announcements & progress)
• LinkedIn (announcements & progress)
• GitHub (issues, code, roadmap)

Open Collaboration Spaces

• Daily Briefings & Hackrooms: Run live in Discord voice channels.
• Weekly Community Calls: Agenda posted in Discord announcements.
• Early Preview Builds: Shared via GitHub release candidates and Discord #releases channel.

Code of Conduct & Governance

Respectful, inclusive collaboration is required in all spaces.

• Code of Conduct: Code of Conduct
• Reporting: conduct@plakar.io (confidential)
• Contributing Guide: Contributing Guide

Key principles (summary):

• Be respectful and constructive.
• Focus on technical merit.
• No harassment or discrimination.
• Use clear, transparent communication.

Read the full documents on GitHub for enforcement scope and process.

Contributing to Plakar

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Plakar! We welcome contributions of all kinds, including new features, bug fixes, documentation improvements, and more. Please take a moment to read through this guide to understand our contribution process and how to get started.

How to Contribute

1. Reporting Bugs and Issues
If you’ve found a bug or have a suggestion for improvement, please open an issue on GitHub. Include as much detail as possible, such as:

• A description of the problem or suggestion.
• Steps to reproduce the issue (if applicable).
• Relevant logs or error messages.
• Any other context that would help us understand the problem.

2. Suggesting Features
We are always looking for ways to make Plakar better! If you have a feature request, feel free to open an issue with a detailed explanation of the proposed feature, its use cases, and potential benefits.

3. Submitting Changes
Before starting any work, it’s a good idea to discuss your idea with the maintainers by opening an issue or commenting on an existing one. This helps ensure your work aligns with project goals and saves time for everyone involved.

Steps to Submit Changes:

• Fork the Repository
  Create a personal fork of the repository on GitHub to work in.
• Create a Feature Branch
  Use descriptive names for your branches, such as fix-bug-issue123 or feature-new-backup-strategy.
• Write Clear, Concise Commit Messages
  Each commit message should clearly describe what change was made and why. Use the present tense, e.g., “Fix issue with backup scheduler.”
• Follow the Coding Style
  Adhere to the project’s code style and formatting.
  Ensure your code is clear, maintainable, and well-documented.
• Run Tests and Linters
  Make sure your code passes all tests and follows the required linting rules.
  If applicable, add new tests to verify your changes.
• Submit a Pull Request (PR)
  Once your changes are complete and tested, open a PR against the main branch. Provide a detailed description of your changes, referencing any related issues.

4. Code Review Process
All PRs will be reviewed by project maintainers. Feedback may be provided, and changes might be requested. Please be open to discussions and willing to make adjustments based on the review.

• Respond Promptly: Address review comments promptly to keep the PR moving forward.
• Stay Technical: Reviews will be focused on technical merit and alignment with project goals.

5. Documentation Contributions
Good documentation is crucial for any project! Contributions to documentation are highly valued. You can:

• Update or improve existing documentation.
• Add new documentation for features, setup instructions, or developer guides.
• Ensure that all code contributions include relevant documentation updates.

6. Code Cleanup and Maintenance
Code cleanup, refactoring, and removing unused code are essential contributions that help keep the project healthy. Do not hesitate to submit PRs that address these issues even if they do not add new features.

7. Licensing and Dependency Guidelines
All contributions must comply with the project’s license.
Be cautious when introducing new dependencies. Avoid dependencies with viral licensing (e.g., GPL) unless discussed and approved by the maintainers.
Ensure any new dependencies are well-maintained and have a compatible license.

8. Contributor Code of Conduct
All contributors must follow the project’s Code of Conduct to ensure a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone.

Getting Help
If you need help or have questions, feel free to reach out by:

• Opening an issue on GitHub.
• Asking on our mailing list or chat channels.
• Reaching out to the maintainers directly.

We appreciate your time and effort in making Plakar better. Happy coding!

What Belongs Where?

Need Help?

If unsure where to start:

• Join Discord and say hello.
• Open an issue labeled question.
• Email: hello@plakar.io (general) or conduct@plakar.io (conduct related).

Thank you for helping grow the Plakar ecosystem.