Code of Conduct

Last updated: January 2025

Welcome to the Mage-OS Community

The Mage-OS community is built on a foundation of mutual respect, collaboration, and shared passion for open-source e-commerce. Whether you are contributing code, asking questions, attending events, or simply learning, you are a valued member of our community.

This Code of Conduct exists not as a list of restrictions, but as a shared agreement that helps us work together effectively and ensures everyone can participate fully and safely. We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our project and that every community member deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Quick Summary: Be respectful, be inclusive, be collaborative. If you see something concerning, report it to conduct@mage-os.org. We take all reports seriously and will respond within 48 hours.

All participants of Mage-OS are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct, both online and during in-person events that are hosted and/or associated with Mage-OS. This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for participant behavior as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior.

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all Mage-OS community spaces, including but not limited to:

GitHub repositories and discussions
Discord server and other chat platforms
Mailing lists and forums
In-person and virtual events, meetups, and conferences
Social media interactions when representing Mage-OS
Any other spaces where community members interact on behalf of or in connection with Mage-OS

The Pledge

In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we pledge to make participation in our project and our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

We are committed to providing a friendly, safe, and welcoming environment for all, and we expect all community members to help us create and maintain this environment.

Our Community Values

Before diving into specific standards, here are the core values that guide our community:

Openness - We welcome newcomers and make it easy to participate
Respect - We treat everyone with dignity, regardless of their background or experience level
Collaboration - We work together to build something greater than any individual effort
Transparency - We communicate openly about decisions and processes
Continuous Improvement - We learn from mistakes and strive to do better

The Standards

Expected Behavior

We encourage the following behaviors that contribute to creating a positive environment:

Using welcoming and inclusive language - Be kind and courteous to others
Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences - We all come from different backgrounds
Gracefully accepting constructive criticism - Focus on what is best for the community
Showing empathy towards other community members - Be considerate in your words and actions
Referring to people by their preferred pronouns - Use gender-neutral pronouns when uncertain
Focusing on collaboration over conflict - We are all working toward shared goals
Acknowledging the contributions of others - Give credit where credit is due
Being patient with newcomers - Remember that everyone starts somewhere
Assuming good intent - Give others the benefit of the doubt when misunderstandings occur

Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable within our community:

Harassment and Discrimination

Trolling, insulting or derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
Public or private harassment of any kind
Assuming or promoting any kind of inequality including but not limited to: age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, nationality and race, personal appearance, religion, or sexual identity and orientation

Privacy Violations

Publishing others’ private information, such as physical or electronic addresses, without explicit permission
Sharing private communications without consent

Inappropriate Content and Conduct

The usage of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances
Swearing, usage of strong or disturbing language
Demonstrating graphics or any other content you know may be considered disturbing
Drug promotion of any kind

Disrespectful Behavior

Not respecting reasonable communication boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you”
Starting and/or participating in arguments related to politics
Attacking personal tastes
Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting

Code Review and Contribution Guidelines

Open-source contribution involves giving and receiving feedback. Here are specific guidelines for maintaining a healthy contribution culture:

For Reviewers

Focus on the code, not the person - Critique the work, not the contributor
Be specific and constructive - Instead of “this is wrong,” explain what could be improved and why
Acknowledge good work - Positive feedback is as valuable as constructive criticism
Be timely - Respect contributors’ time by reviewing promptly when possible
Ask questions - If you do not understand something, ask rather than assume
Offer suggestions, not demands - Use phrases like “Consider…” or “What do you think about…”

For Contributors

Be open to feedback - Remember that reviewers are trying to help improve the project
Respond professionally - Even if you disagree, engage respectfully
Ask for clarification - If feedback is unclear, ask questions rather than guessing
Do not take criticism personally - Code review is about the code, not your worth as a developer
Be patient - Maintainers are often volunteers with limited time

General Collaboration

Document your reasoning - Help others understand why you made certain decisions
Keep discussions focused - Stay on topic and move tangential discussions to appropriate channels
Respect different approaches - There is often more than one valid solution to a problem

Accessibility and Accommodations

We are committed to making Mage-OS accessible to everyone:

Communication accommodations - We strive to provide multiple ways to participate (text, voice, video)
Event accessibility - In-person events should be accessible; please reach out if you need accommodations
Language considerations - Be patient with non-native English speakers and avoid idioms when possible
Time zone inclusivity - We try to rotate meeting times to accommodate different regions
Documentation - We aim to make documentation clear and accessible to people with varying technical backgrounds

If you need specific accommodations to participate fully in our community, please contact us at info@mage-os.org.

Reporting Guidelines

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please report it by contacting the Code of Conduct team. You do not need to be the target of the behavior to make a report - if you see something that concerns you, please let us know.

Report a Concern: Email conduct@mage-os.org. All reports are handled confidentially. You will receive a response within 48 hours.

How to Report

Email: conduct@mage-os.org

When making a report, please include as much of the following information as possible:

Your contact information
Names (usernames, real names, or nicknames) of any individuals involved
Description of the behavior you are reporting
When and where the incident occurred
Any additional context or supporting information (screenshots, links, etc.)
Whether you would like to be contacted for follow-up

What to Expect

After you submit a report:

Acknowledgment - You will receive an acknowledgment of your report within 48 hours
Investigation - The Code of Conduct team will review the report and investigate the incident
Resolution - Appropriate action will be taken based on the investigation findings
Follow-up - You will be informed of the outcome, respecting the privacy of all parties involved

Confidentiality

All reports will be handled with discretion. The Code of Conduct team will respect the privacy of the reporter and the reported individual(s) to the extent possible while conducting a fair investigation.

Enforcement

Enforcement Actions

The Code of Conduct team may take any action they deem appropriate, including but not limited to:

Warning - A private, written warning with clarity about the nature of the violation and an explanation of why the behavior was inappropriate
Temporary Suspension - A temporary ban from community spaces for a specified period
Permanent Ban - A permanent ban from all community spaces
Content Removal - Removal of comments, posts, or other contributions that violate this Code of Conduct

The severity of the response will depend on the circumstances, including the nature and severity of the behavior, whether it is a repeated offense, and the impact on the community.

Responsibilities

Community leaders and moderators are responsible for clarifying and enforcing our standards of acceptable behavior. They have the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, commits, code, wiki edits, issues, and other contributions that are not aligned to this Code of Conduct, and will communicate reasons for moderation decisions when appropriate.

Appeals

If you believe you have been falsely or unfairly accused of violating this Code of Conduct, you may appeal the decision by sending an email to conduct@mage-os.org with a concise description of your grievance. Appeals will be reviewed by the Code of Conduct team and you will receive a response within 14 days.

Scope of Enforcement

This Code of Conduct applies to behavior within Mage-OS community spaces. We do not generally police behavior outside of these spaces, except in cases where behavior outside our spaces has a direct, significant impact on community members’ ability to participate safely.

Examples of behavior that may be considered even if it occurs outside Mage-OS spaces:

Stalking or harassment of a community member
Threats of violence
Doxxing (publishing private information about others)

Contact

General Questions: For questions about this Code of Conduct, contact info@mage-os.org
Report a Violation: For reporting Code of Conduct violations, contact conduct@mage-os.org

Acknowledgment for Community Leaders

If you are a maintainer, moderator, or community leader for Mage-OS, you are expected to:

Model exemplary behavior - Lead by example in following this Code of Conduct
Respond to reports promptly - Take reports seriously and respond within the stated timeframes
Be fair and consistent - Apply standards evenly to all community members
Protect reporter privacy - Maintain confidentiality throughout the reporting process
Escalate when necessary - Know when to involve other team members or external resources
Seek training - Stay informed about best practices for community moderation

Attribution

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant and dev.to Code of Conduct.

Thank you for helping make Mage-OS a welcoming community for everyone.