DRAFT – FOR REVIEW
This content is subject to review by the IPMC and the project community. This material was developed by individuals outside the individual podling communities, who may view events differently than those directly involved. Some content was AI-generated and may contain errors; however, the material has been reviewed and verified by a human for accuracy. It is provided for training and discussion purposes and may contain minor simplifications or adjustments for clarity.
The ASF Incubator Case Studies collect real lessons from podlings across the Incubator. Each case study groups together projects that faced similar challenges and shows how mentors and communities addressed them.
These case studies are intended as reference material for mentors, PPMC members (Podling Project Management Committees), and contributors who want to understand how communities have grown and matured during incubation.
Each case study includes:
You can use these pages to:
Together, these examples build a shared record of ASF experience in community development.
Many podlings begin with contributors from a single organisation, country, or language community.
To succeed within the ASF, adapt to open, asynchronous communication in English, the common language of ASF mailing lists, so that everyone can participate equally and decisions remain transparent.
For mentors, this case study shows how to help projects transition from local habits to global, list-based communication while maintaining inclusivity.
For PPMC members, it demonstrates that multilingual participation can strengthen, not complicate, community health when handled openly.
This case study draws on four examples: ECharts, IoTDB, Kylin, and APISIX.
Each represents a community that originated from regional roots and evolved into a globally visible, collaborative Apache project.
Think about your own podling.
If any of these raise uncertainty, the examples below show how past projects built openness and accessibility step by step.
These case studies highlight common turning points in how podlings learned to communicate globally. You can use them when mentoring, preparing reports, or reviewing progress toward graduation.
They can help you:
These examples show how different podlings built public, inclusive communication practices. Each faced challenges in language, geography, or communication habits, and grew stronger by aligning with ASF norms.
ECharts entered incubation in August 2018 from Baidu, where most contributors initially spoke Chinese.
Early project activity focused on code and local discussion, but mentors helped the team move decision-making to the dev@ mailing list.
Contributors began writing bilingual documentation and summaries to enable international participants to follow the progress.
This transition, although gradual, enabled developers from various regions to participate in discussions and enhanced the visibility of decisions across the ASF.
ECharts graduated in July 2021 as a Top-Level Project.
Key Point: Public communication, even across languages, helps communities grow globally.
What Mentors and PPMCs Can Do: Encourage bilingual summaries and patient discussion. Support translation where practical, but keep all official decisions on ASF lists.
IoTDB joined the Apache Incubator in November 2018, originating from academic work at Tsinghua University.
The team began with documentation written primarily in Chinese and technical discussion among local contributors.
Mentors encouraged consistent use of dev@ for all proposals and reviews, even when English phrasing felt awkward at first.
Over time, contributors from multiple companies and countries joined, strengthening project governance.
The community produced regular Apache releases and clear English documentation, which helped new participants learn both the software and ASF processes.
IoTDB graduated as a Top-Level Project in September 2020.
Key Point: Clear communication and a shared understanding can develop naturally through transparent discussions.
What Mentors and PPMCs Can Do: Remind contributors that imperfect English is welcome if discussions are open, respectful, and visible to all.
Kylin entered incubation in November 2014, one of the earliest ASF projects initiated in China.
Its development began at eBay and attracted contributors from several companies and universities.
During incubation, mentors encouraged the use of mailing lists for all planning and release votes to help participants across time zones stay informed.
Regular public reports and asynchronous decision-making processes established good habits that continue to this day.
Kylin graduated as a Top-Level Project in December 2015, becoming an early model for how non-US teams could adapt to the Apache Way.
Key Point: Open mailing list communication builds continuity across organisations and regions.
What Mentors and PPMCs Can Do: Emphasise that mailing lists are not just a rule. They are what make Apache governance transparent and inclusive.
APISIX joined the Incubator in October 2019 with strong initial participation from a single organisation and a fast-moving, distributed team.
From the start, mentors encouraged public planning and release discussions on dev@, making it easy for contributors from other regions to join in.
As new participants became active, responsibility for releases and documentation broadened beyond the initial group.
The project maintained a steady cadence of Apache releases and focused on inclusive communication around proposals and votes.
APISIX graduated in July 2020 and continues as a globally used Top-Level Project.
Key Point: Visibility and openness attract a diverse range of contributors.
What Mentors and PPMCs Can Do: Keep proposals and votes open for input from all time zones, and thank those who document or summarise decisions.
Across these examples, the shared lesson is simple:
Projects become stronger and more sustainable when communication happens publicly, with clarity and patience, across language and regional differences.
The shift to transparent, list-based decision-making helps ensure that no single group controls the conversation.
| Pattern | What It Looks Like | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Public discussions replace private tools | Decisions move from chat to dev@ | Builds transparency and archival record |
| Bilingual or summarised communication | Key messages posted in English with summaries | Helps non-native speakers follow progress |
| Time-zone aware participation | Votes open for several days to include all regions | Enables distributed collaboration |
| Documentation linked from public pages | Clear instructions for newcomers | Lowers barriers to contribution |
| Mentors model inclusive tone | Gentle reminders and public explanations | Encourages learning and patience |
These patterns appear in many successful podlings.
Each one reflects how global collaboration builds naturally when communication is transparent and welcoming.
Check recent mailing list archives and votes.
If most messages come from one time zone or language group, it may be time to pause and encourage broader participation.
This table helps mentors and PPMCs discuss what is working and where communication can improve.
It is a self-review tool, not an ASF checklist.
| Area | What to Ask | Signs of Healthy Practice | Signs That Need Attention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparency | Are all discussions and votes public? | dev@ used consistently for decisions | Work happens off-list |
| Accessibility | Can non-native speakers follow threads? | Clear subjects, summaries, and context | Dense or unclear messages |
| Participation | Who joins votes and proposals? | Contributors from multiple regions | One group dominates |
| Timing | Are time zones considered? | Votes open long enough for global input | Short deadlines exclude some |
| Documentation | Is onboarding easy to find? | Clear contribution guide and links | Instructions are hidden or outdated |
This material can also support joint mentor–PPMC reflection sessions on community health and communication.
Encourage use of public lists
Move all key decisions and votes to dev@ where everyone can follow. (Kylin)
Write bilingual or clear summaries
Post short English recaps when discussions include local language. (ECharts)
Allow longer discussion windows
Keep votes open for at least 72 hours so global contributors can respond. (APISIX)
Link decisions to issues
Include context URLs in [DISCUSS] and [VOTE] threads to help newcomers understand the decisions made. (IoTDB)
Model patience and clarity
Thank contributors who take the time to explain or translate ideas for others. (ECharts)
Recognise openness in reports
Note progress on public discussion, summaries, and time-zone inclusivity. (Kylin)
Track participation diversity
Observe which regions and companies are active on lists each quarter. (APISIX, IoTDB)
Mentors and PPMCs should demonstrate global collaboration in podling reports. The IPMC looks for clear evidence of open, list-based discussions and participation across regions.
When preparing for graduation, describe specific behaviours, not just technical milestones.
These examples show that the community is embracing the ASF values of transparency, inclusion, and asynchronous collaboration.
Global collaboration at Apache depends on open communication. Mailing lists allow anyone, regardless of language, company, or location, to read, reply, and contribute equally. Communities that communicate publicly and patiently become stronger, more diverse, and more sustainable. Mentors and PPMCs share responsibility for ensuring those habits take root early in incubation.
This case study summarises information from ASF public mailing lists, podling reports, and status pages. It was written from the perspective of observers outside the individual podling communities. Community members may hold differing views on events or timelines, and minor simplifications may be made for clarity or training purposes. It includes historical information drawn from public ASF sources and does not represent the current state of any project mentioned. This content may contain errors or omissions due to AI-generated elements. However, the material has been reviewed and verified by a human for accuracy. These factors do not reduce its value as a reference for understanding patterns of incubation and global collaboration.