this looks like a large change, but it simplifies a few things: - separate page for documentation resources, with overall less text - updated information on the official NixOS Wiki - communication channels are now subsumed under "how to get help" - a few wording corrections while at it
3.3 KiB
How to get help
If you need assistance with one of your contributions, there are a few places you can go for help.
How to find maintainers
For better efficiency and higher chance of success, you should try contacting individuals or groups with more specific knowledge first:
- If your contribution is for a package in Nixpkgs, look for its maintainers in the
maintainers
attribute. - Check if any teams are responsible for the relevant subsystem:
- On the NixOS website.
- In the list of Nixpkgs maintainer teams.
- In the
CODEOWNERS
files for Nixpkgs or Nix.
- Check the output of
git blame
orgit log
for the files you need help with. Take note of the email addresses of people who committed relevant code.
Which communication channels to use
Once you've found the people you're looking for, you can contact them on one of the following platforms:
-
GitHub
All the source code is maintained on GitHub. This is the right place to discuss implementation details.
In issue comments or pull request descriptions, mention the GitHub username found in the
maintainers-list.nix
file. -
Discourse is used for announcements, coordination, and open-ended questions.
Try the GitHub username found in the
maintainers-list.nix
file to mention or directly contact a specific user. Note that some people use a different username on Discourse. -
Matrix is used for short-lived, timely exchanges, and direct messages.
To contact a maintainer, use their Matrix handle found in the
maintainers-list.nix
file. If no Matrix handle is present for a specific maintainer, try searching for their GitHub username, as most people tend to use the same one across channels.Maintainer teams sometimes have their own public Matrix room.
-
Email
Use email addresses found with
git log
. -
Meetings and events
Check the Discourse community calendar for real-time or in-person events. Some community teams hold regular meetings and publish their meeting notes.
Other venues
If you haven't found any specific users or groups that could help you with your contribution, you can resort to asking the community at large, using one of the following official communication channels:
- A room related to your question in the NixOS Matrix space.
- The Help category on Discourse.
- The general
#nix
room on Matrix.