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Contributor Spotlight Template

This template is used to create contributor spotlight posts that recognize and celebrate members of the MAID community. Spotlights are published monthly (or as appropriate) and help build community by highlighting the people behind the code.

How to Use This Template

  1. Identify a contributor to feature (see selection criteria below)
  2. Reach out to them for an interview (use the questions provided)
  3. Fill in the template with their responses and your observations
  4. Review with the contributor before publishing
  5. Publish to the blog and share on community channels

Selection Criteria

Consider contributors who have:

  • Made significant code contributions
  • Consistently helped others in discussions/issues
  • Created valuable documentation or tutorials
  • Built and shared content packs
  • Been active community members
  • Shown growth in their contributions over time

Aim for diversity in:

  • Types of contributions (code, docs, community)
  • Experience levels (first-time to long-time contributors)
  • Geographic locations and backgrounds
  • Contribution areas (engine, stdlib, content, etc.)

Interview Questions

Send these questions to the contributor in advance. Let them know which are optional.

Background (Required)

  1. Tell us a bit about yourself. What's your background in programming/gaming?
  2. How did you discover MAID?
  3. What motivated you to start contributing?

Contributions (Required)

  1. What contributions are you most proud of?
  2. What was your first contribution? How did that experience go?
  3. Is there a particular challenge you enjoyed solving?

Experience (Pick 2-3)

  1. What's something you learned while contributing to MAID?
  2. How has contributing to open source impacted your career or skills?
  3. What's your favorite thing about the MAID codebase or community?
  4. Was there anything that surprised you about the project?

Advice (Pick 1-2)

  1. What advice would you give to someone making their first open source contribution?
  2. What would you tell someone thinking about contributing to MAID specifically?
  3. How do you balance open source contributions with other commitments?

Fun/Personal (Optional)

  1. What are you working on next (in MAID or elsewhere)?
  2. Outside of coding, what are your hobbies or interests?
  3. What's your favorite MUD memory or text-based game?
  4. Is there anything else you'd like to share with the community?

Spotlight Post Template

Copy and customize this template for each spotlight post.

# Contributor Spotlight: [Name]

**Published:** [Date]
**Category:** Community

---

![Contributor photo or avatar - optional](image-url)

*[One-sentence intro describing the contributor and their key contribution area]*

---

## Meet [First Name]

[2-3 paragraphs introducing the contributor based on their background responses. Include:]
- Who they are and their background
- How they discovered MAID
- What motivated them to contribute

> "[Pull a compelling quote from their interview here]"
>
> -- [Name]

---

## Contributions to MAID

[Describe their contributions to the project. Be specific and link to PRs/issues where appropriate.]

### Highlights

- **[Contribution 1]:** [Brief description with link if applicable]
- **[Contribution 2]:** [Brief description with link if applicable]
- **[Contribution 3]:** [Brief description with link if applicable]

[Include a paragraph about their most impactful contribution or the one they're most proud of.]

---

## Lessons Learned

[Share what they learned or insights they gained. This is valuable for prospective contributors.]

> "[Quote about something they learned or a challenge they overcame]"

---

## Advice for New Contributors

[Include their advice for newcomers. This section is particularly valuable.]

**[Name]'s tips for getting started:**

1. [First piece of advice]
2. [Second piece of advice]
3. [Third piece of advice]

---

## Beyond the Code

[Optional section about their life outside of MAID - hobbies, other projects, etc. Only include if they shared and are comfortable with it.]

---

## Connect with [First Name]

- GitHub: [@username](https://github.com/username)
- [Other social/professional links they want to share]

---

## Thank You, [First Name]!

[Closing paragraph thanking them for their contributions and welcoming others to contribute.]

---

*Want to be featured in a future contributor spotlight? Start contributing to MAID! Check out our [good first issues](https://github.com/Qworg/MAID/labels/good%20first%20issue) or join the conversation in [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/Qworg/MAID/discussions).*

Example Spotlight Post

Here's a completed example for reference:

Contributor Spotlight: Alex Chen

Published: January 2026 Category: Community

Alex Chen has been instrumental in improving MAID's hot reload system and mentoring new contributors.

Meet Alex

Alex is a backend developer based in Seattle who has been programming for over 10 years. They discovered MAID while searching for a modern MUD engine to build a game for their D&D group.

"I was blown away by how clean the codebase was," Alex recalls. "Most MUD engines I looked at were written 20 years ago. MAID felt like it was designed for how we write software today."

After using MAID for their personal project, Alex started contributing back. "The maintainers were so welcoming. My first PR had some issues, but instead of just pointing out problems, they explained the reasoning behind the architecture. I learned a lot."

"Open source contribution changed how I think about code. When you know others will read and build on your work, you write differently - more carefully, more thoughtfully."

-- Alex Chen

Contributions to MAID

Alex has made 47 contributions to MAID over the past six months, focusing primarily on the hot reload system and developer tooling.

Highlights

  • Hot Reload File Watcher (#234): Implemented automatic file watching for development mode
  • Migration System (#256): Designed the component data migration framework for schema changes
  • CLI Improvements (#267, #271): Added progress indicators and better error messages
  • Documentation (#289): Wrote the hot reload development workflow guide

Their most impactful contribution was the migration system, which allows content pack developers to update component schemas without losing player data. "That one took a while to get right," Alex admits. "We went through several design iterations. The RFC process really helped - getting feedback early saved a lot of rework."

Lessons Learned

Contributing to MAID taught Alex new skills in both technical areas and open source collaboration.

"I'd never written an RFC before. It felt intimidating at first, but breaking down a big feature into clear requirements and discussing it publicly made the implementation so much smoother."

Alex also gained experience with async Python patterns. "The ECS system with async/await was new to me. I spent a lot of time reading the existing code to understand the patterns before diving in."

Advice for New Contributors

Alex's tips for getting started:

  1. Start small: "My first contribution was fixing a typo in the docs. It sounds silly, but it got me familiar with the PR process without any pressure."

  2. Read the existing code: "Before writing anything, I spent time understanding how similar features were implemented. The codebase is consistent, so following existing patterns usually works."

  3. Ask questions: "Don't be afraid to ask for help. I've never had a question go unanswered. The maintainers genuinely want you to succeed."

  4. Be patient with reviews: "Code review feedback isn't criticism - it's collaboration. Some of my best learning came from review comments."

Beyond the Code

When not coding, Alex runs a weekly D&D game (which is finally using their MAID-powered MUD as a companion tool), hikes in the Pacific Northwest, and is learning to play the piano.

Connect with Alex

Thank You, Alex!

Alex's contributions have made MAID significantly more developer-friendly, and their willingness to mentor new contributors has helped grow our community. Thank you, Alex, for everything you do!

Want to be featured in a future contributor spotlight? Start contributing to MAID! Check out our good first issues or join the conversation in GitHub Discussions.

Publishing Checklist

Before publishing a spotlight:

  • [ ] Contributor has reviewed and approved the post
  • [ ] All links are working
  • [ ] Images are optimized and have alt text
  • [ ] Post is proofread for typos/grammar
  • [ ] Cross-post plan ready (social media, Discord, etc.)
  • [ ] Previous spotlight contributors notified (optional - they may want to welcome the new spotlight)

Post-Publication

  • [ ] Share on social media channels
  • [ ] Post in Discord (when available)
  • [ ] Add to community newsletter (when available)
  • [ ] Update contributor's entry in AUTHORS.md if not already there