Congratulations to @xiang Zihao on being recently invited to become an ASF Member! As a PMC Member of Apache DolphinScheduler, the community is truly delighted by this well-deserved recognition.
Over the years, his continuous contributions to the community have been evident to all—from documentation improvements to code enhancements, from active discussions to helping newcomers. His presence can be seen everywhere. Beyond Apache DolphinScheduler, he is also deeply involved in multiple ASF open source projects, consistently practicing the Apache Way year after year. All his persistent efforts have finally led him to this milestone.
On this occasion, the community conducted another in-depth interview with him. This time, through five chapters—Personal Background, Open Source Contributions & Growth, Becoming an ASF Member, DolphinScheduler Community Development, and Open Source Culture—we take a closer look at his journey, his growth story in open source, and the passion and persistence he has accumulated within the community.
Part 1: Personal Background
Q1: Could you briefly introduce yourself, including how you entered the big data and open source fields?
A: I’m Xiang Zihao / SbloodyS 👋
My hobbies include coding during the day, gaming at night, taking my kid out on weekends, backpacking during holidays, and enjoying tea chats when I need a break.
My life philosophy is: explore the world through code, and heal through life.
Q2: When did you start contributing to Apache DolphinScheduler? What was the trigger?
A: I first encountered Apache DolphinScheduler in 2021. It was actually quite accidental—an opportunity at work introduced me to this scheduling system. Unexpectedly, this “chance encounter” gradually drew me in, and I began contributing to the community.
Q3: What key work or features have you contributed to DolphinScheduler?
A: I have mainly worked on documentation optimization, performance improvements, bug fixes, code reviews, and CI/CD optimization.
Part 2: Open Source Contributions & Growth
Q4: In open source collaboration, what do you think is the most important ability? Technical skills, communication, or something else?
A: I believe the most important ability in open source collaboration is not a single dimension, but a combination of technical skills, communication ability, and an open mindset.
Technical skills are the foundation, communication determines efficiency and quality, and an open mindset is the key to long-term growth.
If I had to prioritize, I’d say openness is the most fundamental—it determines whether you are willing to learn, ask, and evolve.
Q5: What advice would you give to newcomers in open source?
A: Start by “using” rather than “building.”
Become a real user first, identify problems during usage, submit issues, then gradually move to documentation fixes, bug fixes, and eventually core feature development.
Don’t aim to contribute “big features” right away—every small PR is the beginning of building trust with the community.
Part 3: Becoming an ASF Member
Q6: Congratulations on becoming an ASF Member! What was your first reaction?
A: Thank you! Honestly, my first reaction was a mix of surprise and gratitude.
Surprise—because becoming an ASF Member was never my initial goal. In 2021, I simply started contributing to solve problems and give back to the community, and I never imagined this journey would lead here.
Gratitude—because this honor represents the trust and support of the entire community. Without patient reviewers and fellow contributors, I wouldn’t be here today.
For me, becoming an ASF Member is not an endpoint, but a new beginning. It means greater responsibility and a commitment to give back even more.
Q7: How closely related is this achievement to DolphinScheduler? What other factors contributed?
A: DolphinScheduler was an important foundation, but not the only reason.
On one hand, it’s the first Apache project I deeply engaged in, where I built experience and credibility through contributions.
On the other hand, ASF evaluates broader impact:
- Cross-project contributions
- Community-building efforts
- Practicing the Apache Way
In short, DolphinScheduler was my starting point, but sustained and sincere contributions to the broader Apache ecosystem made this possible.
Q8: What does becoming an ASF Member mean to you and the community?
A: For me, it’s recognition from the global open source community—not for one achievement, but for long-term commitment. It’s also a responsibility to keep improving.
For the community, ASF Members are core contributors responsible for project incubation, governance, and cultural inheritance.
For China’s open source ecosystem, more ASF Members represent growing global recognition and diversity.
Q9: How important is the Apache Way to project success?
A: It can be summed up in one phrase: “Community Over Code.”
Code can be replaced, but a healthy, collaborative community cannot.
The Apache Way ensures openness, transparency, and consensus-driven development—proven principles behind many successful projects.
Part 4: DolphinScheduler Community Development
Q10: What are the key milestones in DolphinScheduler’s growth?
A: Three major turning points:
- Donation to Apache
- Graduation from incubation
- Globalization
These milestones transformed it into a globally recognized project.
Q11: How do you see its positioning and future?
A: DolphinScheduler is evolving into a next-generation cloud-native workflow orchestration platform, connecting the full data lifecycle.
Its future lies in integrating with modern data stacks and becoming essential for data engineers worldwide.
Q12: What are your future plans as an ASF Member?
A: Three directions: Deepening, Expanding, and Passing On.
- Deepening: continue contributing to core tech and governance
- Expanding: engage in more Apache projects
- Passing On: help more developers enter open source
Open source has given me a lot—I want to pass it forward.
Part 5: Open Source Culture & Personal Growth
Q13: How has open source changed you?
A: It reshaped my definition of growth.
Before, growth meant improving skills. Now, it means expanding impact—helping others grow.
I’ve transformed from a solo problem-solver into a global collaborator.
Q14: How would you summarize the spirit of open source in one sentence?
A: Open source is a belief that sharing is more powerful than owning.
That concludes our interview! If you found this inspiring, feel free to like, share, and spread the word so more people can discover valuable insights from the open source world 🏅
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