Gitcoin is a valuable tool for any open source project -- blockchain-related or otherwise. At Livepeer, we started adding Gitcoin bounties to issues shortly after our launch on the Ethereum main network and were thrilled to see an immediate and enthusiastic response from the developer community. Based on our experience interacting with bounty hunters, here's what we think makes a good bounty:
- Don't Skimp
If an issue is underpriced, there's not a high incentive for anyone to take it or close it out quickly even if they do accept. Price issues fairly.
- Be Clear
Give an overview of the task, critical info needed to complete it, and any potential pitfalls to look out for along the way. Avoid overloading the issue with too many details about implementation. Instead, spend ample time documenting contribution guidelines, project-specific conventions, and FAQs in the README. Developers need far less hand-holding when they can easily find the information they are looking for.
- Be Responsive
Github issues are great, but it's best to also have a chat server so conversations can happen in real time. For example, we encourage devs to hop into our Discord server and ask questions in our #dev channel. Remember to review PRs and pay out bounties ASAP. When communication is fast and clear on both ends, it's a better experience for everyone.
- Leverage Existing Code
Avoid adding bounties for features that require developers to add new dependencies or write a bunch new modules from scratch. It's best to stick with issues that are similar to ones that have been done in the past or are based on some existing pattern in your codebase. This is especially true when it comes to UI-related issues. I'd highly recommend using a component library and/or styleguide.
- Don't Rush It
It doesn't happen often, but it's possible a contributor may become unresponsive or drop a bounty after accepting it. So make sure your Gitcoin bounty issues are not blockers for anything else in your core roadmap. You won't always be able to give a good estimate on when a Gitcoin issue will get picked up or closed out.
Need some examples? Take a look a few issues we’ve closed recently: