The code of conduct for community members
The Exponential Code of Conduct is "the Contributor Covenant, version 2.1, with additions for the Exponential
community: partners and commercial conduct, AI-generated contributions, the contributor agreement (CLA), and
trainers and advocates" (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md). This page summarizes what it means for you. The file itself is
binding; read it once in full at
github.com/se7enxweb/exponential/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
or on Code of conduct.
Contents
- Where it applies
- What it asks of everyone
- The Exponential additions
- Reporting a problem
- What happens after a report
- Everyday situations
Where it applies
The code applies to contributors and maintainers in the repositories of the project and its extensions, to partners
when they act in connection with Exponential, to "the forums, the chat channels, the issue trackers, the project's
websites and its social media, and events about Exponential", and to trainers and advocates (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md,
"Scope").
What it asks of everyone
The Contributor Covenant's standards in short: be empathetic and kind, respect differing opinions, give and accept
constructive feedback, take responsibility for mistakes, and focus on what is best for the community. Harassment,
insults, personal attacks, publishing others' private information and sexualized language or imagery are not
acceptable (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, "Our Standards").
The Exponential additions
| Addition | In one line |
|---|---|
| Partners and commercial conduct | Tell the truth, compete fairly, disclose conflicts of interest, respect the licenses, protect personal data, and "Use community spaces to help, not to advertise" |
| AI-generated contributions | Welcome on the same terms; you are responsible for what you submit, say when a substantial part was generated, do not flood spaces with unchecked material, check generated answers before posting them as facts |
| The contributor agreement (CLA) | Be honest about authorship, sign only for what you may assign, disagree with maintainers on technical merits, in public and politely |
| Trainers and advocates | Teach accurately, do not call anything "official" that is not, disclose ties, make events welcoming and accessible, protect participants' privacy |
Reporting a problem
Report "abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behavior" to [email protected]. "All complaints will be
reviewed and investigated promptly and fairly. The Exponential Foundation decides." Community leaders "are
obligated to respect the privacy and security of the reporter" (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, "Enforcement").
Include what happened, where (a link if it was online), when, and who was involved. Keep a copy or screenshot in case a post is deleted.
Security vulnerabilities are not conduct reports: send them as SECURITY.md describes.
What happens after a report
The code lists four steps of increasing weight (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, "Enforcement Guidelines"):
| Step | When | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Correction | Inappropriate language or other unprofessional behavior | A private written warning, possibly a public apology |
| 2. Warning | A single incident or a series of actions | A warning, no interaction with the people involved for a period |
| 3. Temporary ban | A serious violation, or sustained inappropriate behavior | A temporary ban from interaction and public communication |
| 4. Permanent ban | A pattern of violations, harassment, aggression toward groups | A permanent ban from public interaction in the community |
For Exponential, "the community leaders are the maintainers of the project and the moderators of its community spaces"; the Foundation decides on reports and consequences.
Everyday situations
| Situation | What the code means in practice |
|---|---|
| Someone asks a question you find basic | Answer it kindly or leave it to someone else; never mock it |
| You disagree with a review of your pull request | Answer on the technical merits, in the pull request, politely |
| You sell services | Answer the question asked; put offers where offers belong |
| You used an AI tool for a contribution | Check it, understand it, say so if a substantial part was generated |
| You run a meetup | Name a contact person for problems, ask before taking photos (Community safety and privacy) |
| A thread turns hostile | Do not escalate; report it (Handling hostile threads) |
Related pages
- Joining the community
- Code of conduct
- Advocate conduct and ethics
- Partner code of conduct
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
Become an Exponential Partner
Partners share their information, provide funding, contribute back and develop the products with us, and that is how Exponential grows. A partner website and dashboard are planned for mid-2027: please become a partner today to speed up our growth rate and land new features faster.