About Open Source Guides
Open Source Guides is a free collection of practical articles for people who run or join open source projects. It covers launching a project, growing a community and keeping maintainers healthy.
What it does
The guides are organized by topic, such as accessibility, security, leadership and funding. Each guide gives concrete steps that a project team can apply, from writing a code of conduct to setting up private vulnerability reporting. The content is translated into many languages, so teams around the world can use it in their own language.
Key features
- Accessibility practices for project docs and tools
- Security practices such as MFA and code scanning
- Advice on avoiding maintainer burnout
- Guides on contributing for first-timers
- Pages on governance and getting paid for work
Who it's for
Maintainers who are starting a new project, teams that want clearer rules for decisions, and new contributors who want to understand how open source communities work. Community managers can also use the guides when they plan events or outreach.
Pricing and good to know
The content is free. It is shared under the CC-BY-4.0 license, and the source is on GitHub for anyone who wants to suggest changes. The guides give general advice rather than rules for every project, so adapt each section to your own community's size and needs.
Highlights
- Accessibility practices for project docs and tools
- Security practices such as MFA and code scanning
- Advice on avoiding maintainer burnout
- Guides on contributing for first-timers
- Pages on governance and getting paid for work
