Debunking Six OpenStack Developer Myths
by Darryl Taft
Myth 1: There’s No Easy Starting Point
Community outsiders see the proliferation and the sheer number of projects, making a starting point difficult to find. But like any open-source project, OpenStack is built on a foundation of openness and collaboration, which encourages everyone to learn and accomplish more.
Myth 2: There Are High Barriers to Entry
The first step for those new to the arena is to simply try the platform, using the wide variety of online resources, tools and wikis to help hone your skills. Starting with baby steps will eventually lead to contributing to the community in a very short period of time.
Myth 3: Developers Lack Unity
OpenStack was developed from a tight-knit group where contributors knew each other well and collaboration was informal and expected. But like all successful endeavors, it has grown. The OpenStack project is built upon numerous individuals working toward the common goal of a truly open cloud environment. Imagine OpenStack as a republic regime; everyone has equal say and free entry into all interactions and participation.
Myth 4: Development Is Unstructured
OpenStack is paving new ground for open-source and proprietary projects alike. Every six months, OpenStack developers meet at a design summit to plan work for the next development cycle. This is just one way development in the OpenStack community is constantly monitored and controlled.
Myth 5: Quality Is Low
OpenStack projects aim to maintain high quality through a strict gating process. All changes made by a developer have a corresponding test and no visible regression, including a review from at least two other developers. Every change submitted by developers is automatically tested, and each day more than 4,000 deployments are being completed.
Myth 6: All Open-Source Projects Are the Same
OpenStack has a very different upbringing from most open-source projects. Most, like Linux, began as a hobby project that incorporated account users’ comments and suggestions for improvements in a new operating system. OpenStack began as a way to change the essence of how cloud computing is delivered. The stereotypes that have latched on to traditional Linux and open-source development no longer apply.