# Section 8: Community --- # What you’re about to learn It’s time to learn about communication and community among Kubernetes contributors. By the end of this unit, you will: * Understand the size, diversity, and capability of the Kubernetes community * Be able to interact with members productively * When to use email, when to use Slack, when to use GitHub issues, etc. * Know the venues for involvement, including Kubecon and SIG meetings. --- # How big is the Kubernetes contributor community? The Kubernetes community has _thousands_ of active contributors. * [Take a look at the statistics!](https://k8s.devstats.cncf.io/d/11/companies-contributing-in-repository-groups?orgId=1) --- # Is every contributor a developer? No! Kubernetes contributors take on all kinds of responsibilities and roles, including: <div class="slides-container"> <div class="slides-col"> <ul> <li> Writing documentation and blog posts</li> <li> Coordinating volunteers</li> <li> Event management</li> <li> Project management</li> <li> Issue triage</li> <li> Managing communication tools</li> </ul> </div> <div class="slides-col"> <ul> <li> Communication moderation</li> <li> Hosting meetups</li> <li> Social media management</li> <li> Public relations</li> <li> Community education</li> <li> New contributor training</li> <li> <a href="/docs/guide/non-code-contributions/">And the list goes on!</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> --- # What is the best way to communicate with my fellow contributors? Every SIG, working group, and committee will have its preferred method of communication, but globally, the community uses: * Slack for synchronous communication and asking questions * GitHub issues for tracking changes to code and content * Mailing List(s) for long-form communication --- # What do I need to know about the mailing lists? Community-wide notifications and discussions are always sent to the [Kubernetes dev mailing list](https://groups.google.com/a/kubernetes.io/g/dev). * Joining the Kubernetes dev mailing list will ensure you can access documents and receive notifications impacting the whole community. --- # How do I join the Kubernetes Slack community? The Kubernetes Slack server has over 500 channels! * First, get familiar with our [Slack communication guidelines](/docs/comms/slack/). * Then [join our Slack server here](slack.k8s.io)! --- # What is the best way to communicate with each SIG? Each SIG and Working Group has its favored method of communication. You can start in their Slack channel and ask around. * By working with a SIG, you will learn how its members communicate. * [The Community Groups list](/community/community-groups/) is a great place to learn about communication preferences. * This is also where you will learn about each group’s regularly scheduled meetings and how to attend. --- # How does the community use GitHub Issues and email to communicate? Slack is excellent for most discussion and questions. * Issues that affect more than one group need to be [discussed on the kubernetes-dev email list](https://github.com/kubernetes/community/tree/master/communication#decisions-are-made-here). * Decisions affecting a single group can be [handled in GitHub](https://github.com/kubernetes/community/tree/master/github-management). --- # How do I find out more about KubeCon and other in-person events? While KubeCon is organized by the [Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)](https://www.cncf.io/), we like to host a Contributor Summit alongside KubeCon. * You can learn more about the next Contributor Summit on our [#contributor-summit Slack channel](https://kubernetes.slack.com/messages/contributor-summit). * [Find out more on our Events page.](/events/) --- # Where can I learn more about communication in the community? We have extensive guidelines and policies around our various communication channels. * [Read the Kubernetes Communication Platform Guidelines and Policies.](/docs/comms/) <div class="bottom-nav"> <a href="/docs/onboarding">Onboarding Index</a> | <a href="../09-documentation/">Next Section</a> </div>