Creating Meaningful Issues: A Guide for Maintainers

Why Issue Quality Matters (And Why You Should Care)

If you’re a maintainer, the issues you create aren’t just project management tools—they’re the backbone of your open-source community. Well-crafted, meaningful issues attract serious contributors, keep your project moving forward, and create a space where developers actually want to contribute.

Here’s what great issues do:

For Your Project:

• Drive Real Progress: No busy work. Just meaningful improvements.
• Boost Product Quality: Well-scoped issues lead to intentional, coherent changes.
• Enhance Reputation: Skilled developers want to work on good projects.
• Encourage Technical Depth: Solve real problems, not just patch symptoms.

For Contributors:

• Develop Real Skills: Meaningful work = meaningful growth.
• Build a Strong Portfolio: Great contributions lead to great opportunities.
• Make Work Rewarding: No one likes fixing random typos all day.
• Create Long-Term Engagement: If people feel valued, they’ll come back.
• Open Career Doors: Networking, partnerships, job offers—real opportunities come from real work.

For the Open-Source Ecosystem:

• Strengthen Community Bonds: Good issues bring devs together.
• Improve Technical Discourse: Serious work leads to deeper discussions.
• Retain Talent: Contributors stay where their work matters.
• Attract Builders, Not Bounty Hunters: You want dedicated contributors, not just people looking for a quick payout.

The Pitfalls of Low-Value Issues

Creating a bunch of low-effort issues just to pad your contributor count? Bad move. It leads to:

• Low-quality contributions that don’t move your project forward
• Frustration for serious devs investing time in dead-end work
• A damaged project reputation (which can impact funding opportunities)
• A community filled with short-term "bounty hunters" instead of long-term builders

Every issue is an opportunity. Don’t waste it.

5 Principles for Creating Meaningful Issues

1. Focus on Real Impact

Before writing an issue, ask: Does this actually improve the project or user experience? If the answer is "meh," rethink it.

2. Provide Clear Context

Give contributors the "why," not just the "what." Background info, technical details, and expected outcomes help devs make informed decisions.

3. Define Scope Appropriately

Too big, and it’s overwhelming. Too small, and it’s pointless. Balance is key. If necessary, break large tasks into well-related sub-issues.

4. Include Implementation Guidelines

Offer direction, but don’t micromanage. Set expectations while leaving room for contributor creativity.

5. Set Clear Expectations

How will the issue be evaluated? What’s the timeframe? Make these things clear upfront so contributors aren’t left guessing.

Meaningful vs. Low-Value Issues (Real Examples)

Frontend Development

Great Issue: Build the Claim/Burn Token Interface

Description:

• Implement claim/burn token UI with toggle functionality and wallet states
• Follow Figma design: [Here]

Proposed Actions:

1. Fork and Create a Branch

1. Implement Changes:
   • Build claim/burn component (components/claim-burn.tsx)
   • Implement wallet connection states
   • Create toggle buttons for claim/burn actions
   • Match Figma design & maintain state transitions
2. Test & Commit:
   • Test wallet connection states & UI interactions
   • Ensure responsive layout
   • Commit message:

Guidelines:

• Assignment required before PR submission
• Timeframe: 24 hours
• PR description must include: Close #[issue_id]

Low-Value Issue (Avoid): Fix button styling on the homepage."Please update the button color to match our brand." (No real impact.)

Backend/Smart Contract Development

Great Issue: Implement Token Vesting Contract

Description:

• Develop a Solidity contract with a time-locked release mechanism

Proposed Actions:

1. Fork and Create a Branch

1. Implement Changes:
   • Write contract (TokenVesting.sol) with core vesting functions
   • Develop comprehensive unit tests (TokenVesting.test.js)
   • Optimize for gas efficiency & security
   • Document contract (vesting.md)
2. Test & Commit:
   • Run tests with Hardhat
   • Ensure all security considerations are met
   • Commit message:

Guidelines:

• Minimum 95% test coverage
• Pass Slither security analysis
• Clear documentation with NatSpec comments
• Timeframe: 48 hours

Low-Value Issue (Avoid): Fix typo in error message."There’s a typo in the transfer function error message in TokenSwap.sol. Please fix it." (Not meaningful.)

Using the Issue Creation Interface

The OnlyDust tech team built a tool to make issue creation easier:

• Access the tool via your project dashboard
• Fill in required fields with detailed information
• Use suggested improvements to refine issue quality

Good issues shouldn’t be tedious to write. This tool makes it effortless to create impactful ones.

Building a Stronger Open-Source Community

Open source is about more than just code—it’s about people, connections, and long-term growth. When you create meaningful issues, you:

• Help contributors build real-world skills
• Elevate your project’s reputation and impact
• Foster a culture of serious, long-term contribution
• Open doors for career-building opportunities

But remember—great issues aren’t just about rewards. They’re about building something meaningful. And that’s what open source is all about.