doc: add maintainer-guide

Signed-off-by: Xavier Delaruelle <xavier.delaruelle@cea.fr>

.hunspell.en.dic

@@ -1296,3 +1296,8 @@ evaluateModulefile
 Ebuild
 furo
 rtd
+PRs
+buildable
+Reproducibility
+rebase
+reproducibility

NEWS.rst

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ Modules 5.6.1 (not yet released)
   :ref:`module(1)` man page. (fix issue #590)
 * Doc: add warning in :ref:`INSTALL-win` to mention :command:`ml` command name
   conflict with *MSVC x86 toolchain* ``ml.exe``. (fix issue #589)
+* Doc: add :ref:`maintainer-guide`.
 
 .. _Furo: https://github.com/pradyunsg/furo
 

doc/source/devel/add-new-maintainer.rst

@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ Add a new maintainer
 This document is a guide on how to set a new person as a maintainer for
 Modules project.
 
-* Confirm they have read and understood the `Code of conduct`_ and
-  :ref:`Technical charter<CHARTER>` of the project
+* Confirm they have read and understood the :ref:`maintainer-guide`, `Code of
+  conduct`_ and :ref:`Technical charter<CHARTER>` of the project
 * Add to the `maintainer GitHub's team`_
 * Invite to the `modules-maintainers chat room`_
 * Subscribe to the `modules-maintainers mailing-list`_

doc/source/devel/maintainer-guide.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+.. _maintainer-guide:
+
+Maintainer guide
+================
+
+Maintainers ensure that the project remains reliable, sustainable, and aligned
+with :ref:`its mission<CHARTER>`. Maintainers oversee contributions, manage
+releases, guide contributors, and uphold project standards.
+
+Maintainers are stewards of both the code-base and the community. Strive to
+balance technical excellence with empathy and collaboration. Core
+responsibilities are described below.
+
+Code stewardship
+----------------
+
+* Review and merge pull requests (PRs) carefully and fairly.
+* Ensure that all code follows project **coding standards**, **testing**, and
+  **documentation** requirements.
+* Keep the main branch in a **buildable and releasable** state.
+* Maintain compatibility across supported platforms (e.g., Linux, macOS, BSDs,
+  Windows).
+
+Community management
+--------------------
+
+* Engage respectfully with users and contributors via:
+
+  - GitHub issues and pull requests
+  - Mailing list and chat
+  - HPC community events
+
+* Mentor new contributors and ensure a welcoming, inclusive culture.
+* Enforce and model the project’s `Code of conduct`_.
+
+.. _Code of conduct: https://github.com/envmodules/modules?tab=coc-ov-file#readme
+
+Issue and pull request triage
+-----------------------------
+
+* Label issues appropriately (``bug``, ``enhancement``, ``question``, etc.).
+* Review pull requests for:
+
+  - Completeness (tests, docs)
+  - Coding style and maintainability
+  - Reproducibility of reported issues
+
+* Merge (rebase merging) once review and CI checks are passed.
+
+Documentation & communication
+-----------------------------
+
+* Keep user and developer documentation up to date.
+* Maintain consistency between ``README``, ``INSTALL``, and manual pages.
+* Communicate major changes through release notes, mailing list, chat and
+  social media.
+
+Infrastructure & tooling
+------------------------
+
+* Maintain CI pipelines and automated test coverage.
+* Manage GitHub Actions, Cirrus, test scripts, and build tools.
+* Ensure reproducibility and backward compatibility across builds.
+
+Reference materials
+-------------------
+
+* :ref:`CHARTER`
+* :ref:`GOVERNANCE`
+* :ref:`CONTRIBUTING`
+* :ref:`create-new-release`
+* `Security policy`_
+
+.. _Security policy: https://github.com/envmodules/modules/security
+
+.. vim:set tabstop=2 shiftwidth=2 expandtab autoindent: