Contributing a Git Repository

It is completely reasonable/normal for a contributor to offer to contribute an entire Git repository to an Eclipse open source project. That offer to contribute the repository along with the committer discussion and decision to accept the contribution must be recorded in some public manner (e.g., mailing list archive, GitHub issue).

The Eclipse Dash project, for example, has a “Dash” repository that is intended for project issues that don’t fit in any of the other repositories (which are usually focused around some specific subset of the work done by the project). The Eclipse Dash project has used this repository to publicly track adding two repositories to the project (e.g., we accepted the IP Analysis Tool along with an associated committer election).

It is completely reasonable/normal when the project team decides to accept an entire repository as a contribution, that they also elect some subset of the maintainers of that repository as new committers on the project. In this case, it completely reasonable/normal to cite specific commits in the repository being contributed in the committer election nomination statement. It’s also completely reasonable to state in the nomination statement that the candidate is a major contributor to the repository, and include pointers to the repository and the issue that you’re using to track the move.

Our main interest/concern with a committer nomination statement is that it demonstrate an open, transparent, and meritocratic process. This can be very subjective.

Whether or not it makes sense to nominate a contributor directly into the project lead role is a different matter. The usual practice is to identify project lead candidates from committers who have demonstrated that they understand how to engage in the IP due diligence process, understand the security policy, know how to operate according to the open source rules of engagement, etc. It is exceptional for somebody to be elected directly into the project lead role without that experience.

If the project team decides that a repository is no longer useful, then they can decide to archive it. Any committer can initiate archival, but the EMO’s expectation is that there is some public archived record of discussion and decision to archive the repository.

If you have questions about Eclipse Project Governance, open help desk issue or contact emo@eclipse-foundation.org.