At a glance:
- Involved in open source since: 2018
- Works for: IBM
- Eclipse Foundation contributor since: 2019
- Involved in: Eclipse Temurin, Eclipse AQAvit (Project Lead)
-
Eclipse Foundation committer since: 2021
What’s your background as a developer?
I started my software development career in 2013 at IBM in Ottawa, working on the IBM OpenJDK, specifically the J9 JVM [today known as Eclipse OpenJ9]. Before that, I actually worked as a university teacher in China, teaching subjects related to software development.
I moved from China to Canada in 2010 and transitioned fully into industry a few years later. Over time, my role evolved, but my focus has consistently been on Java and the OpenJDK ecosystem. I later moved with my team from IBM to Red Hat, continuing the same work, and eventually returned to IBM, still with the same goals and open source focus.
How did you get involved in open source?
Initially, contributing to open source wasn’t a personal goal of mine. I became involved because my team decided to start the AdoptOpenJDK project [now Eclipse Adoptium, part of which is the runtime Eclipse Temurin] around 2018, with the goal of providing pre-built OpenJDK binaries. I was a key contributor to that effort.
As the project grew, my work became more deeply embedded in open source. Over time, contributing felt more natural and rewarding, and it gradually became a central part of my role. Before that, I was aware of open source as a concept, but I hadn’t personally contributed.
How did you become a committer at the Eclipse Foundation?
Our projects moved to the Eclipse Foundation as part of their evolution, and I was already a committer on the project before the move. Because of that, I automatically became a committer when the project transitioned to the Eclipse Foundation, although there were still formal steps to complete, such as signing agreements.
Later on, after several years, I was voted in as a project lead [for Eclipse AQAVit]. For new committers joining today, there is of course a formal nomination and voting process.
What are the biggest challenges as a committer and as a project lead?
One of the biggest challenges in open source, especially for popular projects, is dealing with many different opinions. As a committer or lead, you need to balance being open to feedback while still making decisions and moving the project forward.
As a project lead, there are additional responsibilities. You need to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and respected, promote the project to a broader audience, and help it grow. Time management is also a challenge, since more questions, reviews, and decisions come directly to you.
Another challenge is working with contributors who participate only in their free time. Since open source is often not their primary job, communication and progress can be slower, which requires patience and flexibility.
What have been the highlights of being a committer?
One of the most rewarding aspects is seeing my contributions used and appreciated by others. When people tell me that a feature I worked on helped them or made their work easier, that’s very encouraging.
Knowing that your work is visible and valuable to a broad community is one of the best parts of contributing to open source.
Any advice for someone new to open source?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, try things out, or share your opinions. Every contribution and perspective has value, and open source communities are generally very respectful.
Many newcomers hesitate because they think they don’t know enough, but asking questions is part of learning. My advice is to explore the project, read existing issues, start with small contributions, and most importantly, just begin. Once you take that first step, everything becomes easier.