Blending Code and Cause: Understanding the Dynamic Motivations of Volunteer Developers in community-driven FOSS projects

Understanding the motivations of volunteer developers is crucial for the HCI community as it seeks to design sustainable, community-driven digital platforms. This study explores the dynamics of motivation among volunteer developers in the Foodsharing.de platform, a grassroots movement focused on reducing food waste through community engagement. By investigating the evolving motivations and challenges faced by these developers, our research highlights the unique blend of personal passion, technical skill, and social commitment that sustains their long-term involvement. Through interviews, observations, and participatory research, we uncover how developers balance their commitment to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) with the platform’s socio-ecological mission. Our findings emphasize the importance of fostering a supportive community, clear governance, and effective infrastructuring to manage motivation, frustration, and expectations. We discuss strategies to enhance volunteer retention, such as improving feedback mechanisms and recognizing contributions, which are critical for the sustainability of volunteer-driven platforms.