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Setup a maintainer account with Polar

Creating a new account

Don't have an account already? Signup as a maintainer now to easily create both an account (GitHub Login) and install the Polar GitHub app at once.

Screenshot of signup page on Polar Screenshot of signup page on Polar

This signup flow will ensure you:

  1. Create a Polar account using your GitHub Login (OAuth)

    Covered in the next section below.

  2. Install the Polar GitHub app thereafter (redirect) - granting access to select repositories to use with Polar for issue funding.

    Covered on the next page: Install GitHub App

GitHub Login (OAuth) Permissions

Signup & login on Polar is made super easy with GitHub Login (OAuth).

Screenshot of GitHub OAuth with Polar Screenshot of GitHub OAuth with Polar

We require GitHub Login (OAuth) for maintainer accounts on Polar. In order to:

  • Verify your GitHub account
  • Install & manage the Polar GitHub app (next step) to enable funding towards issues across your select repositories.

We also use this login connection to:

  • Reserve the same username/orgname on Polar
  • Request read-only access to your email addresses so we can communicate with you, e.g send notifications upon new pledges etc.
  • Create a matching, public, profile for you on Polar (avatar, username, bio etc)
  • Setup a public page under https://polar.sh/<username> for maintainers - showing fundable issues
  • Show your profile in connection with funding issues (optional)
  • Recommend maintainers/repositories to fund based on your GitHub stars

Once authorization has been granted, you will be redirect to GitHub again to install the Polar GitHub app on the repositories you want.

What does 'Act on my behalf' mean?

This is a default notice from GitHub in all their OAuth authentication flows. See this ticket from the wider community asking GitHub to improve the copy.

Rest assured, we do not do anything on your behalf without a delibrate action performed by you via Polar for an explicit, clear & desired outcome by you.

Specifically, we make it easy for you - as a maintainer - to comment on issues you manage via Polar. In case you want to promote funding or notify contributors about granted rewards via an in-line comment. No such comment is automated, required or hard-coded (you can edit them freely in our UI) and they require you to manually submit them each time.

Upgrade an existing account

Funded an issue on Polar and already have an account? Or want to connect a GitHub organization and its repositories to use with Polar? We got you.

Enable personal maintainer account

Screenshot of enabling personal maintainer mode in Polar Screenshot of enabling personal maintainer mode in Polar

  1. Click Get Started under the Become a creator card in the sidebar
  2. You're presented with an onboarding page to enable maintainer mode (see above)
  3. Click Connect Repositories
  4. Redirected to the GitHub App Installation flow - covered next in Install GitHub App

Connect GitHub organization(s)

Screenshot of adding maintainer organizations in Polar Screenshot of adding maintainer organizations in Polar

You can use Polar personally and for GitHub organizations you're an admin of. It's super easy to connect additional organizations and their repositories.

  1. Click on your profile in the Polar dashboard
  2. Click Add organization in the dropdown
  3. You're presented with an onboarding page to connect an organization to Polar
  4. Click Add GitHub Organization
  5. Redirected to the GitHub App Installation flow - covered next in Install GitHub App