Tools of the Trade
The purpose of this page is to introduce you to the essential, basic tools that all Fedora interns and mentors commonly use. Some of these are universal and you will absolutely encounter as a Fedora intern. Other tools will be used at varying levels depending on your specific project and mentor. Use this as a place to get started with setting up your Fedora toolbox.
Fedora Accounts System (FAS)
The Fedora Account System, or FAS for short, is the underpinning of all the digital infrastructure in Fedora. Think of it like your passport to start your Fedora adventure. If you have not yet created an account, do so now. Once your account is created, complete the following steps:
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Fill your profile out completely. Name, Matrix ID, time zone, GitHub/GitLab usernames, etc. If you have SSH or GPG keys, you can also add them.
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Set a profile picture using Libravatar. Log in with the OpenID option. To log in with OpenID, use the following identifier below in the Libravatar login page. You will be redirected to a FAS login screen. Add and confirm your personal email once you log in.
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my-username.id.fedoraproject.org(example:jflory7.id.fedoraproject.org)
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Sign the Fedora Project Contributor Agreement. You can find this in the Agreements tab of the Settings menu. Ask a mentor if you have questions about the agreement and what it means for your contributions.
Fedora Wiki
The Fedora Wiki is a common tool used for collaboration. Think of it as a whiteboard space for scratch notes or for short-term documentation. We often use the Fedora Wiki as a planning tool for virtual events, like the F40 Release Party wiki page.
However, first, you need to create your userpage. Wiki userpages are like biography pages to know more about a Fedora contributor. This is a good place to be more detailed about your background, what you do in Fedora, and how people can get in touch with you. See an example userpage here. You will need to write your userpage using MediaWiki markup. Create your userpage by clicking on your username in the dropdown menu after logging in (see below).
GitLab
GitLab.com is a common tool used to track tasks, update progress, and plan future work. Check with your mentor if you will use GitLab.com regularly during your internship. If you have not already, create a GitLab.com account. Once you have a GitLab account, link your FAS account to GitLab using ✨ this magic link ✨.
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Sign in to GitLab FIRST before linking your FAS account with the magic link. If you are not logged into GitLab.com and link your FAS account, you will end up with two accounts. It is not easy to merge two accounts into one later. |
Fedora Chat
Fedora Chat is our primary chat tool used in Fedora.
Fedora Chat is a hosted Matrix homeserver linked to FAS logins.
However, if you already have a Matrix account, you can use your own Matrix account without creating a Fedora-specific Matrix account.
It is up to you whether you want to use a Fedora-hosted Matrix account or use an account hosted somewhere else.
You can use a :matrix.org account and use features in the Element X client, which is not currently supported with Fedora-hosted Matrix accounts.
However, sometimes people prefer to use a Fedora-hosted Matrix account to keep work and personal activities separate.
If you want a Fedora-hosted Matrix account: Use FAS to create an account at chat.fedoraproject.org. Let a mentor know once you have an account so you can be invited to any rooms needed for the internship.
If you are using another Matrix account: Join the Fedora Space at (#fedora-space:fedoraproject.org) if you are not already a member. Ask your mentor(s) to invite you to any internship-specific rooms, if you are not yet invited.
Fedora Discussion
Fedora Discussion is an online web forum powered by a tool called Discourse. Create an account and fill in your profile. Write a self-introduction in the Fedora Mentored PRojects tag.
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