The Challenges of Maintaining a Popular Open-Source Project

Explore the challenges and rewards of maintaining a popular open-source project in this 41-minute EuroPython Conference talk. Gain insights into the personal experiences of Raphael Pierzina, a maintainer of Cookiecutter, as he discusses the responsibilities, time management, and community aspects of open-source maintenance. Learn about the importance of setting expectations, using tools effectively, and maintaining work-life balance while contributing to free and open-source software. Discover strategies for attracting users and contributors, improving documentation, and fostering a supportive community. Understand the frustrations and learning opportunities that come with maintaining a widely-used project, and how these experiences can make you a better software engineer. Engage in a broader conversation about the often-overlooked aspects of open-source maintenance and the role of the community in supporting these efforts.

Introduction
Volunteers
About me
Blog
Mozilla
Agenda
Popular Templates
Community Driven
Commits
Becoming a maintainer
The typical stuff
Getting funding
Emails
Challenges
Attracting users and contributors
Learnings
Be Specific
Encourage Tools
Package Managers
Documentation
Communication
Document
Humans
Expectations
Document Expectations
Good Documentation
Frustrations
Bike Sharing
At Work
A Better Software Engineer
Boundaries
Its just work
Lack of empathy
Takeaways
Set Expectations
Use Tools
Stick to Best Practices
Lead by Example
Take Breaks
WorkLife Balance
Conclusion
Slides
QA