--- title: Chatwoot Community Guidelines description: Guidelines for participating in the Chatwoot community across all platforms sidebarTitle: Community Guidelines --- # Chatwoot Community Guidelines Welcome to the Chatwoot community! These guidelines help ensure our community remains welcoming, productive, and inclusive for everyone. ## General Principles ### 1. Respect and Inclusivity Everyone is welcome here. Treat all members with respect, regardless of their background, identity, or level of experience. ### 2. Collaboration Over Conflict Always approach discussions and feedback with a constructive attitude. We're all here to learn and grow together. ### 3. No Spam or Self-Promotion Unsolicited advertisements, promotions, or spammy links are not allowed. Share valuable content that benefits the community. ## Platform-Specific Guidelines ### Discord-Specific Guidelines Our Discord server is where the community gathers for real-time discussions, support, and collaboration. #### Channel Etiquette 1. **Stay On Topic**: Each channel has its purpose. Ensure your discussions are relevant to the channel topic. 2. **Use Thread Responses**: For lengthy discussions, use thread replies to keep channels organized. 3. **Search Before Asking**: Check pinned messages and recent discussions before asking questions. #### Content Guidelines 1. **No NSFW Content**: This is a professional community. Do not share or promote any NSFW content. 2. **Quality Over Quantity**: Focus on helpful, meaningful contributions rather than frequent low-value messages. 3. **Appropriate Language**: Keep language professional and appropriate for a business environment. #### Voice Channels 1. **Microphone Etiquette**: Ensure your microphone is muted when not speaking. 2. **Respect Speaking Time**: Avoid interrupting others and allow everyone to participate. 3. **Background Noise**: Use push-to-talk if you're in a noisy environment. #### Reporting and Support 1. **Report Violations**: If you see someone violating these guidelines, don't engage. Instead, report it to the moderators. 2. **Use Private Messages**: For sensitive issues, reach out to moderators via private message. ### GitHub-Specific Guidelines GitHub is our primary platform for code collaboration, issue tracking, and project management. #### Issue Reporting 1. **Search First**: Before reporting a bug or requesting a feature, search the issues to ensure it hasn't been addressed already. 2. **Use Templates**: Follow the provided issue templates for bug reports and feature requests. 3. **Provide Details**: Include clear steps to reproduce, expected behavior, and actual behavior. 4. **Stay Updated**: Monitor your issues for questions from maintainers and respond promptly. #### Pull Requests 1. **Clear Descriptions**: Ensure your PRs are concise, have a clear title, and are linked to relevant issues. 2. **Follow Style Guide**: Adhere to the existing coding style and conventions. 3. **Test Thoroughly**: Test your changes in multiple scenarios before submitting. 4. **Respond to Reviews**: Address feedback constructively and make requested changes promptly. #### Code Review Guidelines 1. **Be Constructive**: Provide specific, actionable feedback rather than general criticism. 2. **Explain Reasoning**: When suggesting changes, explain why the change would improve the code. 3. **Appreciate Good Work**: Acknowledge good code and clever solutions. 4. **Stay Professional**: Keep discussions focused on the code, not the person. #### Documentation 1. **Update Documentation**: If your PR introduces a new feature, ensure that it's documented. 2. **Fix What You See**: If you spot outdated or missing documentation, consider updating it or raising an issue. 3. **Clear Examples**: Provide clear, working examples in documentation. ## Community Support ### Helping Others #### In Discord - **Be Patient**: Remember that people have different experience levels - **Provide Context**: When helping, explain not just what to do, but why - **Share Resources**: Link to relevant documentation or previous discussions - **Follow Up**: Check if your help resolved the issue #### In GitHub - **Helpful Comments**: Provide constructive feedback on issues and PRs - **Share Knowledge**: Contribute to discussions with your expertise - **Test Solutions**: Help test proposed fixes when possible ### Getting Help #### Before Asking 1. **Check Documentation**: Review the official docs first 2. **Search History**: Look through previous discussions and issues 3. **Try Solutions**: Attempt basic troubleshooting steps #### When Asking 1. **Be Specific**: Provide clear details about your issue 2. **Include Context**: Share relevant environment information 3. **Show Effort**: Explain what you've already tried 4. **Be Patient**: Allow time for community members to respond ## Consequences for Violating Guidelines We enforce these guidelines to maintain a positive community environment. ### Warning System 1. **First Violation**: For most violations, you will receive a warning from the moderators. 2. **Repeated Minor Violations**: Additional warnings may lead to temporary restrictions. ### Immediate Actions For serious violations, immediate actions may be taken: - **Spam or Self-Promotion**: Immediate ban or removal - **Harassment or Abuse**: Immediate removal from the community - **Sharing Inappropriate Content**: Content removal and potential ban ### Appeal Process If you believe you've been unfairly moderated: 1. **Contact Moderators**: Reach out via private message 2. **Provide Context**: Explain your perspective respectfully 3. **Accept Decisions**: Respect final moderation decisions Refer to [enforcement guidelines](/contributing/code-of-conduct#enforcement-guidelines) for more details. ## Moderator and Admin Privileges ### Selection Process Active contributors to the Chatwoot community, those who consistently offer valuable insights, help, and engagement, may be handpicked as moderators or granted specific privileges. ### Criteria for Moderators - **Consistent Contribution**: Regular, helpful participation in the community - **Good Judgment**: Demonstrated ability to handle conflicts constructively - **Technical Knowledge**: Understanding of Chatwoot and related technologies - **Time Commitment**: Ability to dedicate time to moderation duties ### Responsibilities Moderators are expected to: - **Enforce Guidelines**: Apply community guidelines fairly and consistently - **Facilitate Discussions**: Help keep conversations productive and on-topic - **Support Users**: Provide assistance and guidance to community members - **Report Issues**: Escalate serious violations to administrators ### Discretionary Decisions - **Appointment Process**: The appointment of moderators and the granting of additional privileges are at the sole discretion of the Chatwoot team. - **Review Process**: Moderator performance is reviewed regularly to ensure community standards are maintained. ### Admin Privileges For compliance and security reasons, admin privileges in all Chatwoot communities are reserved exclusively for Chatwoot employees. ## Building a Positive Community ### Encouraging Participation - **Welcome Newcomers**: Help new members feel included and valued - **Celebrate Contributions**: Acknowledge helpful contributions and achievements - **Share Knowledge**: Contribute your expertise to help others learn - **Provide Feedback**: Offer constructive feedback on ideas and solutions ### Creating Inclusive Environment - **Use Inclusive Language**: Choose words that welcome all community members - **Respect Differences**: Value diverse perspectives and experiences - **Avoid Assumptions**: Don't assume others' backgrounds or knowledge levels - **Learn Together**: Approach discussions as learning opportunities ## Resources for Community Members ### Getting Started - **Community Onboarding**: [Discord community](https://discord.com/invite/cJXdrwS) - **Contributor Guide**: [Contributing documentation](/contributing/introduction) - **Code of Conduct**: [Detailed guidelines](/contributing/code-of-conduct) ### Stay Connected - **Discord Server**: Real-time community discussions - **GitHub Discussions**: Long-form technical discussions - **Twitter**: [@chatwootapp](https://twitter.com/chatwootapp) for updates - **Blog**: [Chatwoot Blog](https://www.chatwoot.com/blog) for articles and insights --- Together, we can build an amazing community that supports Chatwoot users and contributors worldwide. Thank you for being part of our journey! 🚀