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Getting started as a maintainer

Set up your repository workflow to validate work and release bounties

alexanmtz Written by
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Table of contents

What this guide covers

This page explains how maintainers can accept contributions with clear validation steps, and how that ties to payments.

The goal is to reduce ambiguity in reviews, speed up acceptance, and make payment release decisions consistent.

  1. Create a well-scoped issue (requirements + acceptance criteria).
  2. Ensure the repo has a clear PR process (branching, review, CI).
  3. Assign a contributor once you agree on scope.
  4. Validate work through review + automated checks.
  5. Accept/merge when requirements are met.
  6. Release the bounty/payment based on acceptance.

Set contribution expectations early

  • Provide issue templates with required fields.
  • Document coding standards and review rules.
  • Define when a task needs tests, docs, or visual proof.
  • Clarify who can approve and release payments.

Keep validation objective

  • Tie feedback to specific acceptance criteria.
  • Distinguish blocking issues from optional improvements.
  • Request concrete updates instead of broad rework requests.
  • Confirm final acceptance in writing before release.

Maintainer onboarding checklist

  1. Review and update issue/PR templates.
  2. Ensure CI checks reflect actual quality expectations.
  3. Publish a concise “definition of done.”
  4. Document payment release conditions.
  5. Share expected review response time with contributors.

Next steps

Decide what your project will fund

Start with a small issue that can be accepted against observable results. Document who will answer questions, review the Pull Request, and approve payment. A contribution may also arise before an issue is funded; discuss whether the project will pay for that work and record the agreed amount.

Example: one issue from funding to payment

A maintainer defines a bug fix and its tests, funds the task, confirms a contributor’s assignment, reviews the linked Pull Request, and records acceptance before releasing payment. The contributor then follows Claims and Payouts.

For teams, agree who owns the GitHub issue and who can authorize the payment. Read Funding issues and Releasing bounties before publishing a task.