What size project needs a code of conduct?

I’m part of a project that’s been hibernating longer than many projects have existed. As part of awaking from slumber, the project’s leadership decided to adopt a code of conduct. Like me, they believe that it’s a necessary starting point for a community in 2026 (or whatever year you read this) and a rare exception to the “don’t add policies until you need them” rule.

Some people, as is usually the case, questioned the need for a code of conduct this early. The project is small, barely active, and fairly collegial. Why bother? As I’ve written before, planning ahead is the most important part of code of conduct enforcement. The worst time to figure out how to deal with bad behavior in your community is while you’re trying to deal with bad behavior in your community.

But how large does a project really have to be before it needs a code of conduct? I’m tempted to say “one person. Maybe two.” That’s a justifiable answer because a code of conduct defines the acceptable behavior for everyone who interacts with the project. It’s not just for core contributors; it’s for everyone who stops into a chat channel, files an issue, submits a pull request, and so on. As long as there’s one person for someone to interact with, a code of conduct is a reasonable part of the project’s governance.

A better answer might be “three people”. This means that if two people are having trouble, there’s one person to address the issue.

As I said above, a code of conduct should be part of the initial foundation of a project. It’s just as important as git init to building a healthy, sustainable open source community. This means that no project is too small to have a code of conduct.

This post’s featured photo by krakenimages on Unsplash.