Development Team

The collaboration within the Joomla! Open-source project is based upon the trust and fun. We want to put as little hierarchy into this team as possible, and, if we actually do Joomla! (all together) this section will be superfluous. But for every team that exists of more than one person, a structure needs to be in place.

This team sometimes also is referred to as core-committers. Some of the members are also core-team members, but the term "core-comitter" refers to team members who have full commit access to the Joomla! code base.

Membership status

Within the development work group, we recognize three membership statuses:

1. Active - actively contributing on a week-by-week or day-by-day basis (or even more).
2. On-leave - temporarily away from duties because of vacations, work commitments or other valid reasons but still in touch with regular communication channels.
3. Inactive - Away from duties and responsibilities for a period of time and not in touch with regular communication channels.

A development team group member is considered active if they are contributing to a communication channel at least once a week and fulfilling a reasonable time commitment to the project. To prevent stagnant teams and blocking out new talent from getting into the development work group some limitations apply to the possible statuses described above:

1. A development work group member may be on-leave for up to 3 months. After this period the team member will automatically be transferred to inactive status.
2. A development work group member may be inactive for up to 6 months. After this period the team member will automatically be removed from the work group. When transferred from on-leave status to inactive, the total period a team member can be absent is 6 months.

In all cases it is important that the developers informs the work group coordinator or lead developer of his team that he/she is (planning to go) on leave or being inactive.

Conflict resolution

It would be naive to assume that a group of people can work together in perfect harmony. There are going to be times when someone feels they have been wronged. In these times the following procedure should apply:

1. Talk privately to the person concerned.
2. If you still believe grievances exists, then bring in one or two other people to help mediate.
3. If this fails then take the issue to the workgroup coordinator.
4. If this fails take the issue with the workgroup coordinator to the Joomla! project leader.
5. If this fails take the issue to the whole Core team for final determination.

Team members are encouraged to self-mediate all disputes. In all situations, treat 'wounds' appropriately. A prick on the finger just needs a tissue for a couple of seconds. Some grazes and cut just need a Band-Aid to help heal well but will probably heal anyway if left untouched. More serious lacerations need immediate intervention for survival. If a wound is left to attract an infection then the obvious threat of gangrene is present.

Resignation

Everyone in Joomla! has their season and there are going to be times when someone needs to move on for various reasons. You should always feel comfortable to leave or have a holiday from the project, just inform the work group coordinator or better yet, let the whole team know by posting your absence to the mailing list (joomla-devel@googlegroups.com). If you are going to be unavailable for a period of time, please be considerate and:

• Give reasonable notice in proportion to your role. Work group coordinator and Lead Developers should give around four weeks notice and other members at least one.
• Make sure that your team knows what they have to take over when you leave. Do not put the Team in a position where they have to play detective to find out what you did, where things are, and what their status is, etc.

Removing members

A development team member will be removed:

• When he/she violates the Code of Conduct.
• When the work team member is inactive for more then 6 months (see the membership status section above).