Standard Open Source CONTRIBUTING.md
Create a well-balanced CONTRIBUTING.md for typical open source projects. Covers the most common sections without enterprise overhead or excessive formality.
Templates
Detailed Explanation
The Standard Open Source Contributing Guide
Most open source projects fall between minimal and enterprise. A standard guide provides enough structure for consistent contributions without bureaucratic overhead.
Recommended Structure
# Contributing to ProjectName
## Code of Conduct
Link to CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md.
## How to Contribute
### Reporting Bugs
### Suggesting Features
### Contributing Code
## Getting Started
### Prerequisites
### Setup
### Running Tests
## Development Workflow
### Branch Naming
### Commit Messages
### Pull Requests
## Code Style
## Thank You
Getting the Tone Right
A standard guide should be:
- Welcoming -- Thank people for their interest
- Clear -- Use numbered steps, not prose
- Practical -- Show commands, not abstractions
- Concise -- Cover what is needed, nothing more
Section Lengths
| Section | Ideal Length |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 2-3 sentences |
| Bug Reports | 5-10 bullet points |
| Getting Started | 5-7 steps |
| Commit Messages | Short paragraph + examples |
| PR Process | 4-6 numbered steps |
| Code Style | 3-5 bullet points |
What Makes It "Standard"
The standard template includes:
- Code of Conduct reference
- Bug and feature request guidance
- Basic setup instructions
- Commit message convention (usually Conventional Commits)
- PR process
- Code style references
It does not include:
- CLA requirements
- Security disclosure processes
- Multi-reviewer gates
- RFC processes
- Governance structures
Maintenance
Review annually or when onboarding a new batch of contributors. Ask recent contributors what was unclear and update accordingly.
Use Case
A mid-size open source project with 5-20 regular contributors that needs a professional but not overly formal contributing guide covering all the standard bases.