Allow community contributions to the documentation

[cswingler]

Proposal: Move the ProxySQL documentation to a community contribution model.

The ProxySQL docs are not particualarly easy to navigate, contain omissions, and have open issues dating back years with the documentation label on them, and a few areas in the documentation contain nothing more than the string "ToDo".

ProxySQL is an open-source project, it'd be ideal if the documentation moved over to a community contribution model as well!

In its current state, it appears that the ProxySQL user base relies on the ProxySQL maintainers to make changes to the documentaton on the Wordpress site at https://proxysql.com/documentation. That site seems to see updates and adjustments at a relatively slow pace compared to the velocity of the ProxySQL project itself.

There is prior art for this, some examples of other MySQL focused projects using community contirbutions for their documentation include:

• Vitess: https://github.com/vitessio/website/tree/prod/content/en/docs
• RocksDB: https://github.com/facebook/rocksdb/blob/main/docs/_docs
• SQLAlchemy: https://github.com/sqlalchemy/sqlalchemy/tree/main/doc/build
• nginx: http://hg.nginx.org/nginx/file/tip/docs

Consider changing the ProxySQL docs to be under an open-source, community-contributed model, just like ProxySQL itself is.

[kuzmik]

This is a good idea, as I delve into ProxySQL I do sometimes notice mismatches between docs and reality. I would definitely lend a hand at improving them.

[JavierJF]

Hi @cswingler,

while ProxySQL is an open-source project, the documentation being maintained outside the repository is at this moment company policy. Part of this policy is that the documentation should be consistent in style, tone and quality. Also, that as sole authors of it, we take full accountability for its accuracy and reliability. Regarding the omissions and open-issues, we are trying to improve the pace at which we update the documentation and contributions like yours in #4472, are the best way the community can helps us to do it right now. Said this, I will addressing some of the issues you have pointed out here.

Thank you, Javier.

[JavierJF]

Hi @kuzmik,

as mentioned in my previous message, the best way to contribute right now if you ever found these inconsistencies is opening Github issues like #4472. We will try to address the feedback, we are trying to improve the pace at which we update the documentation and issues like that are of great help.

Thank you, Javier.

[kuzmik]

Hi @kuzmik,

as mentioned in my previous message, the best way to contribute right now if you ever found these inconsistencies is opening Github issues like #4472. We will try to address the feedback, we are trying to improve the pace at which we update the documentation and issues like that are of great help.

Thank you, Javier.

Understood!

[cswingler]

@JavierJF What license is the documentation at proxysql.com under? Is it under a traditional copyright, or is the community permitted to maintain their own fork?

[JavierJF]

Hi @cswingler,

documentation at proxysql.com is under traditional copyright. So, it's not material that can be forked.