Newcomers
Welcome
OpenZFS brings together developers and users from various open-source forks of the original ZFS on different platforms and we're always looking to grow our community. There are a multitude of ways to contribute to the project and contributors are happy to help newcomers. As we add diverse perspectives, our community becomes richer, and we're committed to creating an environment where all people feel welcome.
Code of Conduct
OpenZFS has a Code of Conduct. Before you start participating in the community, please review the Code of Conduct.
Newcomer Resources
Where can I learn more about OpenZFS?
Here are some introductory resources. For more details about specific parts of ZFS look at the developer resources page
OpenZFS Basics | Matt Ahrens and George Wilson | May 2018 |
Lecture on ZFS Read/Write Code Paths | Matt Ahrens | March 2016 |
OpenZFS Novel Algorithms | Matt Ahrens | March 2017 |
I have a question!
We look forward to hearing it! The best way to reach us with questions is by joining our Slack channel #openzfs in OpenZFS@Slack.
You can also find people on IRC (#openzfs on Libera.chat), or the developer@open-zfs.org mailing list.
I'd like to stay informed about events and new features!
Then you should follow us on Twitter @OpenZFS . This is our main channel for sharing community updates and promotions of ZFS-related events, blogposts, and talks.
The main OpenZFS-specific events that have been taking place consistently for the past few years are:
- The OpenZFS Developer Summit
- The monthly OpenZFS Leadership Meetings
That said, many other conferences feature OpenZFS related talks.
I'd like to contribute!
That's great! We are always looking to grow our community!
If you would like to submit a bug or just search for a bug to tackle, below is the list of the code repositories and bug lists for each platform supporting OpenZFS:
OpenZFS on Linux | Webpage | Source | Issues |
ZFS in FreeBSD | FreeBSD Handbook: Chapter 20: The Z File System (ZFS) | Source | Issues |
OpenZFS userland and kernel module for FreeBSD | sysutils/openzfs and sysutils/openzfs-kmod | Source | Issues |
illumos | Webpage | Source | Issues |
OpenZFS on OSX | Webpage | Source | Issues |
OpenZFS on Windows | Webpage | GitHub | GitHub |
If you are just looking for a place to start and get your hands dirty, getting OpenZFS/ZoL set up quickly on your Linux-based computer or in a VM is straightforward (see Building ZoL). Then you can try tackling one of the bugs in the bitesize labeled buglist.
Remember that submitting code in ZFS is not the only way to contribute to the project. Other ways include but are not limited to the following:
- Write high-level utilities and libraries that leverage the power of OpenZFS.
- Write a blogpost or a tutorial for a new feature. We'll do our best to promote it.
- General Wiki and Documentation updates.
- Community (e.g. create meetups or invite OpenZFS experts at events)
If you are still not sure where to start or you have more questions, you can see what's going on in our #newcomers Slack channel or ping @sara and @serapheim directly.