Hi, I reviewed ten years of Incubator data (2016 to 2025) from more than 100 podlings. Here are some patterns that might help podlings, mentors, and the IPMC.
1. Slow starts are normal Most podlings spend their first 6 to 12 months getting set up and learning ASF processes. It’s normal for things to be quiet at the start, so there’s no need to worry. 2. Growth usually begins after the first release At this point, new contributors often join, code reviews become more frequent, and promotions usually begin. 3. Healthy podlings grow steadily Healthy podlings keep adding contributors, recognise people who stay involved, grow their PPMC, and rely less on mentors as they go. 4. Struggling podlings show the opposite Struggling podlings often start with large teams but don’t attract new contributors. They might go a long time without growing, keep the same PPMC list, and depend on mentors to make decisions. 5. Promotion culture matters Both high-bar and low-bar podlings can graduate, but successful ones usually recognise people earlier. Podlings that never promote anyone, or don’t make the bar clear, tend to struggle the most. 6. Behaviour is the best predictor Open decision-making, visible participation, and community-led governance are much stronger signs of graduation than any single metric. 7. PPMC growth is the strongest governance signal Graduated podlings show real PPMC growth, while retired podlings rarely do. You can find the document here. [1] Kind regards, Justin 1.https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/INCUBATOR/Community+and+Governance+Growth --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
