> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guidebook.theopensourceway.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guidebook.theopensourceway.org/contributors.md).

# Contributors

## Chapter authors

* Introduction: Presenting The Open Source Way
  * Author(s): [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com)
* Community 101
  * Author(s): [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com), [Dave Neary](mailto:dneary@redhat.com), [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com)
* Essentials of Building a Community
  * Author(s): [Andy Oram](mailto:andyo@praxagora.com)
* Building a Strategy
  * Author(s): [Dave Neary](mailto:dneary@redhat.com) (lead), [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com)
* New Project Checklist
  * Author(s): [Lisa Caywood](mailto:lcaywood@redhat.com), [Josh Berkus](mailto:jberkus@redhat.com), [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com), [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com)
  * Editor: [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com)
* Communication Norms in Open Source Software Projects
  * Author(s): [Leslie Hawthorn](mailto:lhawthor@redhat.com)
  * Editor(s)/Reviewer(s): [Paula Dickerson](mailto:pdickers@redhat.com) (lead), Editorial team
* Building Diverse Open Source Communities by Making Them Inclusive First
  * Author(s): [Lauren Maffeo](mailto:laurenmaffeo8@gmail.com)
  * Editor(s)/Reviewer(s): [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com) (lead), [Marina Zhurakhinskaya](mailto:marinaz@redhat.com) (subject matter expert (SME) reviewer), Editorial team
* Why People Participate in Open Source Communities
  * Author(s): [Gordon Haff](mailto:ghaff@redhat.com)
  * Editor(s)/Reviewer(s): [Brian Proffitt](mailto:bkp@redhat.com) (lead), Editorial team
* Incentivizing and Rewarding Participants
  * Author(s): [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com)
* From Users to Contributors
  * Author(s): [Dave Neary](mailto:dneary@redhat.com)
* What Is a Contribution?
  * Author(s): [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com)
* Constructing an Onboarding Experience
  * Author(s): [Ray Paik](mailto:ray@cube.dev), [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com)
* Creating a Culture of Mentorship
  * Author(s): [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com), [Guedis Cardenas](mailto:guedis@palante.co)
* Project and Community Governance
  * Author(s): [Dave Neary](mailto:dneary@redhat.com), [Josh Berkus](mailto:jberkus@redhat.com), [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com)
  * Editor(s)/Reviewer(s): [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com) (lead), Editorial team
* Understanding Community Roles
  * Author(s): [Andy Oram](mailto:andyo@praxagora.com), [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com)
* Community Manager Self-Care
  * Author(s): [Ashley Nicolson](mailto:ashjayne.nicolson@gmail.com)
  * Editor(s)/Reviewer(s): [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com) (lead), [Dr. Karen Hixson](https://www.drhixson.com/) (subject matter expert (SME) reviewer), Editorial team
* Defining Healthy Communities
  * Author(s): [Karsten Wade](mailto:kwade@redhat.com)
* Understanding Community Metrics
  * Author(s): [Ray Paik](mailto:ray@cube.dev), [Brian Proffitt](mailto:bkp@redhat.com), [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com)
  * Editor(s)/Reviewer(s): [Brian Proffitt](mailto:bkp@redhat.com) (lead), [Bryan Behrenshausen](mailto:bryan.behrenshausen@sas.com), Editorial team
* Announcing Software Releases
  * Author(s): [Brian Proffitt](mailto:bkp@redhat.com)

## Project teams

### Editorial team

* Brian Proffitt (lead)
* Shaun McCance (lead writer)
* Bryan Behrenshausen
* Paula Dickerson
* Karsten Wade


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://guidebook.theopensourceway.org/contributors.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.