About Us

Ubuntu developers represent an important part of the creation of Ubuntu. They have a direct influence on the software included in Ubuntu and whether it meets the needs of end users. They are responsible for ensuring that Ubuntu works, and works as well as it can with the resources available.

Everybody is welcome to work on any package they want to improve and we value these contributions. The Beginners Team encourages Development Focus Group Members to join the Ubuntu Development Team.

If you wanted to categorise the different kinds of involvement and upload rights in Ubuntu, it'd look like this:

Ubuntu Prospective Developers

This is where you should start if you are interested in joining the development team. Prospective Developers:

• Work on bug fixes and new packages
• Gain experience with Debian-format packaging
• Request sponsor review of suggested changes, where sponsors:
  • review the packages prepared by the prospective developer
  • provide constructive feedback
  • upload the package when they are satisfied with its quality

  • for more information, please read SponsorshipProcess

Becoming a Prospective Developer

There are no requirements to be a Prospective Developer, and anyone with interest is encouraged to become involved. Please see the links at the top of this page for pointers some of the many ways to start contributing to Ubuntu development.

Ubuntu Contributing Developers

• are members of the universe-contributors team in Launchpad

• are collectively responsible for the maintenance of most of the packages in Ubuntu
• merge new versions from Debian, work on bugfixes and new packages
• continue with sponsored uploads
• provide sponsored security updates for community supported packages
• participate in technical discussions with other Ubuntu developers, providing ideas and feedback
• are implicitly considered Ubuntu Members

Joining the universe-contributors team

• Check out the general requirements for Ubuntu Membership.

• Apply to the Developer Membership Board using the Application Process

MOTU

• are members of the MOTU team in Launchpad

• understand packaging concepts, having substantial experience uploading packages through a sponsor

• apply this knowledge by uploading new packages, and updating existing packages, in the universe component

• may also contribute to the main component in cooperation with a core developer

• answer questions of other developers in order to expand their understanding of packaging work
• provide guidance for prospective Ubuntu developers regarding technical issues

Joining MOTU

• Check out the general requirements for Ubuntu Membership.

Per-package Uploaders

• are developers with a specialisation in a specific set of packages in Ubuntu,
• are granted direct upload to the Ubuntu archive for that set of packages.
• have sufficient technical knowledge of the package(s) in question from documented work in the package through sponsorship, work in other distributions, or work upstream.
• have an understanding that such an access grant does not permit sole-maintainership, but rather the right to participate in the maintenance of the package as part of a team.
• have an understanding of the broad strokes of the release schedule, relevant freezes that would affect the package in question, and appropriate means by which to handle any exceptions.
• need to show advocation and support of existing developers indicating that previous work on the package demonstrated that unsupervised upload is warranted.
• need to have documented previous concern for the packages in question in Ubuntu, including previous uploads, effective bug management, and similar previous work.
• need to show a history of effective collaboration with other developers in Ubuntu.
• are specialist maintainers, not generalist maintainers. They are not expected to understand packaging best practices applicable to a wide variety of software or large number of packages in the archive, but they are expected to have exceptional technical expertise with the package(s) for which access is requested.
• are implicitly considered Ubuntu Members
• are granted a vote when the Development Membership Board or Technical Board are polling Ubuntu Developers

Where a developer has an interest in a wide variety of packages, that developer is encouraged to strive for membership in one or more existing development teams. In cases where a given small set of packages attracts the interest of more than one specialised developer, the Developer Membership Board may recommend the foundation of a team. See the team delegation procedure for more details.

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