Welcome
Welcome to the InnerSource Patterns advent calendar. Each day we will share one of our patterns with you. Some patterns well established, other ones that still need your help to develop their full potential. If you have never heard of our patterns before, we encourage you to browse our patterns book to learn more.
Code of Conduct
A well-defined Code of Conduct sets the tone for respectful, inclusive collaboration. It helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that all contributors feel safe and valued, fostering a positive and productive InnerSource community.
Balancing Openness and Security
Openness drives innovation, but security is essential. This pattern explores how to create transparent processes and open collaboration while protecting sensitive information and maintaining trust within the organization.
InnerSource Ambassadors
InnerSource Ambassadors champion best practices and help bridge gaps between teams. By mentoring, advocating, and sharing knowledge, they play a key role in building a thriving InnerSource culture.
Cross-Team Retrospectives
Regular cross-team retrospectives create space for honest feedback and shared learning. This pattern helps teams identify challenges, celebrate successes, and continuously improve their collaborative efforts.
Document Architecture Decisions
Capturing architecture decisions ensures transparency and helps future contributors understand the reasoning behind key choices. This pattern encourages teams to document decisions for better maintainability and onboarding.
Walk the InnerSource talk
Actions speak louder than words. This pattern highlights the importance of leading by example—demonstrating InnerSource values in daily work to inspire others and drive real change.
30 Day Warranty
The 30 Day Warranty pattern builds trust between teams by offering a safety net for new code contributions. When a team contributes code to another, they commit to fixing any bugs or issues that arise within the first 30 days. This assurance encourages teams to accept outside contributions more readily, knowing that support is guaranteed. The result is a more open, collaborative environment where innovation can flourish and teams feel confident in sharing their work.
Communication Tooling
Effective communication is essential for successful InnerSource collaboration. The Communication Tooling pattern describes how to select and use tools that facilitate clear, open, and inclusive communication among contributors.
Core Team
A dedicated core team is crucial for guiding and sustaining InnerSource projects. The Core Team pattern explains how to form and empower a group of committed contributors who provide leadership and continuity.
Document your Guiding Principles
Clearly documented guiding principles help align contributors and set expectations. This pattern shows how to create and share principles that foster a healthy InnerSource culture.
Explicit Governance Levels
Defining clear governance levels helps manage decision-making and responsibilities. The Explicit Governance Levels pattern outlines how to establish transparent structures for InnerSource projects.
Extensions for Sustainable Growth
Sustainable growth requires thoughtful extension strategies. This pattern describes how to expand InnerSource initiatives while maintaining quality and community engagement.
Group Support
Support from groups and teams is vital for InnerSource success. The Group Support pattern explains how to build alliances and encourage participation across organizational boundaries.
InnerSource License
Licensing is an important aspect of InnerSource. The InnerSource License pattern discusses how to choose and implement licenses that support collaboration and protect contributors.
InnerSource Portal
An InnerSource portal provides a central hub for resources, documentation, and collaboration. This pattern describes how to design and maintain a portal that supports the community.
Maturity Model
The Maturity Model pattern helps organizations assess and improve their InnerSource practices. It provides a framework for measuring progress and identifying areas for growth.
Praise Participants
Recognizing and praising participants motivates continued engagement. The Praise Participants pattern shows how to celebrate contributions and foster a positive community spirit.
Praise Participants
Recognizing and praising participants motivates continued engagement. The Praise Participants pattern shows how to celebrate contributions and foster a positive community spirit.
Service vs. Library
Choosing between a service and a library impacts collaboration and reuse. This pattern explores the trade-offs and guides teams in making informed decisions.
Standard Base Documentation
Standardized documentation makes it easier for contributors to get started and collaborate. The Standard Base Documentation pattern describes best practices for creating accessible and useful documentation.
Start as an Experiment
Starting InnerSource initiatives as experiments allows teams to learn and adapt. This pattern explains how to pilot new approaches and scale successful practices.
Transparent Cross-Team Decision Making using RFCs
Transparent decision-making builds trust and alignment. This pattern describes how to use RFCs (Request for Comments) to facilitate open, cross-team collaboration.
Trusted Committer
Trusted committers play a key role in maintaining quality and consistency. This pattern explains how to select, empower, and support committers who uphold community standards.
Goodbye - Time to reflect
We hope you enjoyed this journey through InnerSource patterns. As you reflect on these concepts, consider how they can be applied in your own context to foster collaboration and innovation.