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All Apache mailing lists are publicly searchable and archived at lists.apache.org, ensuring discussions remain discoverable long after they occur.
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English Used in Communication
All public communication within Apache projects, including on mailing lists, in issue trackers, and in release or vote discussions, should be conducted in English.
This ensures that all participants across the global ASF community can read, respond to, and audit project discussions and decisions.
While contributors are welcome to collaborate informally in other languages (for example, through local meetups or private chats), any outcomes that influence technical direction, governance, or community decisions must be summarised and recorded in English on the appropriate public mailing list.
Reasons why:
- Transparency: Using a single shared language ensures that discussions and decisions are visible and understandable to all community members, mentors, and the ASF as a whole.
- Inclusivity: English serves as the common working language across ASF projects, enabling participation from contributors worldwide regardless of native language.
- Auditability: ASF governance relies on archived public communication. Conducting key discussions in English ensures that project history remains accessible and reviewable.
- Consistency: A shared language avoids discussion fragmentation and reduces the risk of misunderstandings caused by partial or untranslated communication.
Why the ASF Uses Mailing Lists
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Note:
All votes, releases, and policy decisions must be made on the mailing list so that they’re properly recorded and archived.
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Examples in Practice
| Scenario | Good Practice |
|---|---|
| Discussion in Slack about the next release | Post a summary and follow-up actions on dev@ |
| Design proposal started in GitHub Discussions | Forward the discussion link and summary to dev@ |
| Decisions made during a Zoom sync | Confirm them publicly on dev@ |
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Summary and Core Principles
| Communication Channel | Purpose | Transparency | Decisions Allowed? | Follow-Up Needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mailing Lists (dev@, user@, private@) | Main discussion, voting, and recordkeeping | ✅ Fully archived | ✅ Yes | No |
| GitHub Discussions | Q&A and design ideas | ⚠️ Public but not archived long-term | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Chat (Slack, Matrix, etc.) | Quick coordination and Q&A | ⚠️ Ephemeral | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Video Meetings (Zoom, Jitsi, etc.) | Real-time syncs or planning | ⚠️ Limited visibility | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Private Email / DMs | Mentoring or sensitive issues | 🚫 Not transparent | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (if appropriate) |
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Mentor Guidance
Mentors should regularly check that:
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