Strengthening Your FOSS Project: Essential Files and Automated License Compliance(FOSSA-CLI)

• Open-source success isn’t just about good code - it’s also about the files that frame your project.

• This lightning talk will show beginners and maintainers which non-code files (README, LICENSE, CONTRIBUTING, CODE_OF_CONDUCT, SECURITY) make a project welcoming and trustworthy.

• We’ll also explore FOSSA CLI, a simple tool to automatically scan your project for license conflicts and keep your LICENSE FILE accurate.

• By the end, attendees will know exactly how to structure their repo and automate license compliance to protect themselves and their contributors.

For Beginners:

• A quick checklist of the must-have files in any FOSS repo

• How to make your first contribution more confidently by reading these files.

• How to run FOSSA CLI locally to see license info for your code or dependencies.

For Maintainers:

• How to structure a repository so contributors can onboard easily.

• How to use FOSSA CLI to continuously monitor license compliance.

• Practical tips to combine good documentation with automated compliance.

For Everyone:

• Why good project hygiene builds trust and community.

• Free resources and templates to get started fast.