sandbox-operator uses a lightweight maintainer model, aligned with CNCF practice for early-stage projects. As the contributor base grows, this document is expected to grow with it.
Maintainers are listed in MAINTAINERS.md. They are responsible for reviewing and merging changes, triage, releases, security response, and upholding the Code of Conduct.
Day-to-day decisions are made by lazy consensus on issues and pull requests: a change is accepted when a maintainer approves it and no maintainer objects within a reasonable review window. Substantial changes — API breaks, security model, governance itself — require majority approval of the maintainers.
Sustained, high-quality contribution (code, reviews, docs, triage) over a few months, nomination by an existing maintainer, and confirmation by majority vote of the current maintainers.
Maintainers may retire at any time. A maintainer inactive for roughly six months, or in violation of the Code of Conduct, may be removed by majority vote. Former maintainers are listed as emeritus.
By pull request, with majority approval of the maintainers.