Hello and welcome! If you're reading this, you're probably interested in the evolving world of Open Networking technologies. Whether you're a developer, project lead, or simply an enthusiast looking to contribute, you've come to the right place. The Linux Foundation Networking (LFN) is the nexus for collaboration and innovation in this space, and this documentation aims to be your ultimate guide to understanding and participating in the LFN ecosystem.

Intro to the LFN

Our software & projects provide platforms and building blocks for Network Infrastructure & Services across Service Providers, Cloud Providers, Enterprises, Vendors, System Integrators that enable rapid interoperability, deployment & adoption.

At LF Networking, we firmly believe open source technology is the only viable path to truly scale software so that businesses, government agencies, education institutions, service providers -- and the OEMs, ISVs and system integrators that support them -- can achieve operational and revenue value in a timely and cost-effective manner. Open source software also motivates leading edge development with vulnerability detection and code design best practices with security built in from the ground up.

LFN Charter

Getting Started

Just getting your feet wet? This section will give you a comprehensive roadmap to jumpstart your journey, from understanding basic terminology to setting up your development environment and creating your Linux Foundation ID.

Everyone starts here -- the steps below apply whether you're contributing as an individual or on behalf of an organization.

If you're joining on behalf of an organization, the Organization Onboarding Guide covers additional topics specific to your situation: membership enrollment, the MyOrg Dashboard, tracking your organization's contributions, and participating in governance. Complete that in addition to the steps below.

Create Your Linux Foundation ID & Set Up Your Individual Dashboard

A Linux Foundation ID is your unique identifier across all Linux Foundation communities. If you don't already have one, set up your LF ID here. Once you have your LF ID, you can set up your profile at https://openprofile.dev. The Individual Dashboard is your self-service hub where you can:

• Set up your Linux Foundation ID / SSO

• Edit your contact information and change your password

• View community badges (speaker, program committee, certifications, etc) that you have earned

• Link your social accounts and email accounts used to log in to SSO

• Add/Manage alternative email accounts

• View upcoming Community Meetings that you are registered for

• View your participation in past or upcoming Linux Foundation Events

• View your community and membership roles

• View trainings and certification exams you have enrolled in or completed

• View financial transactions with the LF

• Purchase a Linux.com email alias as part of the Linux Foundation Individual Supporter program (optional)

The LF Toolchain

Most LFN Projects use a selection of infrastructure tools and services managed by the Linux Foundation's IT department. This includes applications such as Confluence, GitHub, and other tools commonly used in software development. Most LFN projects use GitHub Actions for CI/CD. Learn more about the LFX platform and toolchain here.

Single Sign On (SSO)

The Linux Foundation provides Single Sign-On (SSO) to offer secure access and protect the identities of all its communities. Linux Foundation managed systems and services like Events Registration, Zoom, Training and Certification, and CommunityBridge (Funding, Mentorship, EasyCLA, LFX, Security) are protected by this SSO service. SSO is also used for community communication platforms including Zulip and Groups.io.

For the LFN, most of the information on the wikis is viewable as an anonymous user; however, a universal ID is needed to access some content areas and is ultimately required if you will contribute to the project in any way. Please get an LFID first, even if you only plan to browse content passively as it will save you (and potentially our IT team) headaches in the future.

Learn more about SSO here.

I have an account, now what?

• Join the LFN Community on Zulip

  • LFN and its projects use Zulip for real-time community communication. Join at https://linuxfoundation.zulipchat.com -- each LFN project has its own dedicated channel. See the project directory below.

• Join some of our Community Meetings

  • Community is at the heart of everything we do. View our community meeting calendar, find registration links, and access past meeting recordings.

• Check out the Upstream First Best Practices Guide

  • Quality and consistency are key for any open-source project. This guide provides insights into the best practices for contributing upstream to ensure the highest level of quality and collaboration.

• Learn about the LFN Project Lifecycle

  • LFN Lifecycle States & Guidelines -- Each LFN project governs itself and may consist of multiple subprojects with their own lifecycles. The TAC is responsible for facilitating communication and collaboration among technical projects.

  • Project Review Process -- Learn how our Technical Advisory Council (TAC) assesses Projects under the LFN Umbrella.

  • How to Join the LFN as a Project -- Detailed steps on how to propose a project or change your lifecycle state.

• LFX Tools for Community Members

  • LFX is the Linux Foundation's suite of tools designed to support every aspect of open source community participation:

    • Individual Dashboard -- Your self-service hub for managing your LF identity, tracking contributions, registering for meetings, and viewing your open source activity.

    • LFX Insights -- Open-source analytics that give you visibility into project health, contributor activity, and ecosystem trends across LFN projects.

    • MyOrg Dashboard -- For organizational members, track your company's engagement, key contacts, legal agreements, employee contributions, and membership benefits all in one place.

• Learn how to earn Community Badges

  • A little recognition goes a long way. Learn about the badges issued by the LFN via Credly, based on community-defined criteria, and how you can earn them to show off your skills and contributions.

• Developer Recruitment Initiative

  • LFN thrives on community contributions. Discover our Developer Recruitment Initiative to see how you can get involved.

LFN Project Communities

Each LFN project has its own community, wiki, mailing list, and Zulip channel. Find the project you're interested in below.

Getting Help

Sometimes we all need a little help, but where do I go and who do I ask?

• Community FAQ

  • Have a specific question about contributing, governance, meetings, or tooling? Check the Community FAQ for step-by-step answers to our most common questions.

• Organization Onboarding

  • Joining as a Member organization or looking to get more out of your LFN participation? See the Organization Onboarding Guide.

• LF Toolchain Support

  • For issues with Single Sign-On, EasyCLA, Community Analytics, or other LF infrastructure services:

  • support.linuxfoundation.org

• LFN Program Management & Community Support

  • For questions about community governance, onboarding, project meetings, elections, or anything not related to LF infrastructure, the LFN Program Management and Community Architect team is here to help.

  • support@lfnetworking.org

• LFN New Member Onboarding Guide

  • Gain insights into how the LF Networking umbrella project works and how to participate in the LFN New Member Onboarding Guide.