jbampton opened a new issue, #11312:
URL: https://github.com/apache/cloudstack/issues/11312
Apache CloudStack is a robust and mature open-source cloud management
platform. Its GitHub README should clearly convey its power, ease of use, and
vibrant community. Here are 10 suggestions to improve the `apache/cloudstack`
GitHub README:
1. **More Engaging and Benefit-Oriented Tagline/Overview:**
* **Current State:** "Apache CloudStack is open source software designed
to deploy and manage large networks of virtual machines, as a highly available,
highly scalable Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud computing platform."
(While accurate, it's a bit dry).
* **Suggestion:** Start with a more dynamic and benefit-driven
statement. Something like: "Apache CloudStack empowers organizations to build
and manage highly available, scalable, and secure private, public, and hybrid
clouds with unparalleled ease. Transform your infrastructure into a flexible,
on-demand service with CloudStack's comprehensive IaaS platform."
* **Why:** Immediately grabs attention and communicates the core value
proposition.
2. **Clear Visual Representation (Screenshot/Diagram):**
* **Current State:** No immediate visuals of the UI or architecture.
* **Suggestion:** Include a high-quality screenshot of the CloudStack UI
(e.g., dashboard, VM deployment, network topology). Alternatively, a simple,
clear architecture diagram showing how CloudStack components fit together
(Management Server, hypervisors, storage, networking). If an animated GIF
showcasing key UI interactions is feasible and small enough, even better!
* **Why:** Cloud platforms are complex; a visual cue helps users quickly
grasp the system and its capabilities.
3. **Refined "Who Uses CloudStack?" Section with Impact:**
* **Current State:** Lists "more than 150 known organizations" and links
to case studies/user lists.
* **Suggestion:** Keep the links but consider featuring 2-3 prominent
logos of well-known companies/organizations that publicly use CloudStack (with
their permission, of course). If logos aren't feasible, a very short, impactful
quote from a major user.
* **Why:** Social proof is powerful. Seeing that reputable entities use
CloudStack builds trust and credibility.
4. **"Quick Start / Try It Now" Section for Different Deployments:**
* **Current State:** "Getting Source Repository" is for developers.
There's an `cloudstack-installer` project, but not directly linked as a "try it
now."
* **Suggestion:** Create a new section titled "Quick Start" or "Try
CloudStack." Provide simple, direct instructions for the quickest way to get a
*working instance* for evaluation (e.g., using Docker for an all-in-one demo,
or pointing directly to the `cloudstack-installer` with a one-liner command if
it's truly simplified). Emphasize that this is for *evaluation*, not production.
* **Why:** Many users want to test-drive before committing to a full
installation. A frictionless path to a demo instance is crucial.
5. **Concise Feature Highlights (Benefits-Oriented Bullet Points):**
* **Current State:** Features are described in prose.
* **Suggestion:** After the initial overview, use a bulleted list to
highlight key features, focusing on *what they enable* rather than just *what
they are*.
* **Multi-hypervisor support:** "Manage VMs across VMware vSphere,
KVM, XenServer, and Hyper-V from a single pane of glass."
* **Network-as-a-Service (NaaS):** "Automate virtual networking,
load balancing, and firewall services."
* **Rich API & UI:** "Programmatically control your cloud with a
robust RESTful API and intuitive web interface."
* **Storage Management:** "Flexible storage options including
primary and secondary storage, snapshots, and disaster recovery."
* **User & Account Management:** "Robust multi-tenancy with granular
access control for users and accounts."
* **Resource Accounting & Usage:** "Track resource consumption for
billing and capacity planning."
* **Why:** Bullet points are scannable and quickly communicate the
breadth of capabilities.
6. **Clear Ecosystem/Integrations Section:**
* **Current State:** Mentions its comprehensive stack but could
elaborate on integrations.
* **Suggestion:** A section on "Ecosystem & Integrations." List key
integrations or complementary technologies (e.g., "Integrates with popular
network appliances, storage solutions, LDAP/Active Directory for
authentication, and monitoring tools."). Mention if it supports S3-compatible
object storage for secondary storage.
* **Why:** CloudStack doesn't exist in a vacuum. Highlighting its
interoperability assures users it fits into their existing infrastructure.
7. **Dedicated "Getting Involved / Contributing" Section:**
* **Current State:** Link to the website's developer resources page.
* **Suggestion:** Bring the key contribution points directly into the
`README.md`.
* "How to Contribute": Direct link to `CONTRIBUTING.md` with a brief
summary (e.g., "We welcome contributions! See our guidelines for code,
documentation, and translations.").
* "Mailing Lists": Explicitly list the `d...@cloudstack.apache.org`
and `us...@cloudstack.apache.org` mailing lists as the primary communication
channels.
* "Issue Tracker": Link to Jira (or GitHub Issues if that's the
primary, but Apache projects often use Jira).
* "Good First Issues": If possible, link to a filtered view of
issues suitable for newcomers.
* **Why:** Fosters community engagement and makes it easy for potential
contributors to get started.
8. **Project Stability and Release Cadence:**
* **Current State:** Implied stability by being an Apache project.
* **Suggestion:** Add a small section on "Project Status" or "Release
Cycle." Briefly mention its maturity, active development, and typical release
cadence (e.g., "Apache CloudStack is a mature, actively developed project with
regular releases, typically every X months, ensuring ongoing feature
development and stability.").
* **Why:** Provides confidence to users about the project's longevity
and reliability.
9. **Table of Contents (for a long README):**
* **Current State:** If the README grows significantly with these
suggestions, navigation can become an issue.
* **Suggestion:** Implement a Table of Contents at the top, linking to
all major sections. GitHub automatically renders these if you use Markdown
headers (`#`, `##`, etc.).
* **Why:** Improves navigability and user experience, especially for
long documents.
10. **Clear Licensing and Security Policy:**
* **Current State:** License is mentioned in the sidebar and indirectly.
* **Suggestion:** Have explicit sections:
* **License:** "Apache CloudStack is released under the **Apache
License 2.0**." (with a direct link to the `LICENSE` file).
* **Security:** "We take security seriously. Please report
vulnerabilities responsibly by following our [Security Policy](SECURITY.md)."
(assuming a `SECURITY.md` file exists or linking to the relevant section on the
website).
* **Why:** Crucial for legal compliance and demonstrates a commitment to
security.
By implementing these suggestions, the Apache CloudStack README can become a
more effective marketing tool and a more inviting gateway for new users and
contributors alike.
--
This is an automated message from the Apache Git Service.
To respond to the message, please log on to GitHub and use the
URL above to go to the specific comment.
To unsubscribe, e-mail: commits-unsubscr...@cloudstack.apache.org.apache.org
For queries about this service, please contact Infrastructure at:
us...@infra.apache.org
