This document is modeled after the "instruments of good works" from Chapter 4 of The Rule of St. Benedict, as used by SQLite, but adapted for Protestant Christian theology. Whereas SQLite's Code is rooted in Catholic Benedictine monasticism, this code is rooted in:
- Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone as the final authority
- Sola Fide and Sola Gratia - salvation by faith alone, by grace alone
- The priesthood of all believers - every person is a steward and worker
- The Book of Psalms - wisdom, lament, praise and moral formation
- The Ten Commandments - moral law summarized by love of God and neighbor
- Software craftsmanship - code as service, stewardship, and neighbor-love
No one is required to follow this Code, to know this Code, or even to agree that this Code is good. The founder believes that anyone who follows these principles will live a happier, more productive, and more faithful life, but individuals are free to dispute or ignore this advice if they wish.
The founder and all current developers have pledged to follow the spirit of this Code to the best of their ability. They view this Code as their promise to all project users and contributors of how the developers are expected to behave.
This is a one-way promise, or covenant. In other words, the developers are saying:
"We will treat you this way regardless of how you treat us."
- Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength [Deut 6:5].
- Love your neighbor as yourself [Lev 19:18; Matt 22:39].
- Have no other gods [Ex 20:2-3]
- Do not make and worship other idols [Ex 20:4-5]
- Do not misuse the name of the LORD [Ex 20:7]
- Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy [Ex 20:8-11]
- Honor your father and mother [Ex 20:12]
- Do not murder [Ex 20:13]
- Do not commit adultery [Ex 20:14]
- Do not steal [Ex 20:15]
- Do not bear false witness [Ex 20:16]
- Do not covet what is not yours [Ex 20:17]
- Walk blamelessly and do what is right [Ps 15:2]
- Speak truth from your heart [Ps 15:2]
- Do not slander others [Ps 15:3]
- Do no wrong to your neighbor [Ps 15:3]
- Have clean hands and a pure heart [Ps 24:4]
- Do not lift your soul to idols [Ps 24:4]
- Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger [Jas 1:19]
- Let your yes be yes, and your no be no [Matt 5:37]
- Do not entertain deceit [Ps 24:4]
- Do not give false peace [Jer 6:14]
- Do not forsake charity and love [1 Cor 13:1-3]
- Do not swear falsely [Matt 5:34-37]
- Speak only the truth [Ps 15:2]
- Guard your tongue against evil speech [Ps 19:13]
- Do not love much talking [Prov 10:19]
- Speak no useless words [Matt 12:36]
- Do not love boisterous laughter [Ecc 7:6]
- Watch over your actions constantly [Ps 141:3]
- Know that God sees you everywhere [Ps 139:7-12]
- Search me, O God; know my heart [Ps 139:23-24]
- Treat software as vocation and service
- Write code with diligence and care
- Prefer clarity over cleverness
- Build reliable, testable, useful software
- Avoid needless complexity
- Credit others' work properly
- Do not exploit users or contributors
- Treat reviews and documentation as service
- Leave projects better than you found them
- Measure success by service, not acclaim
- Relieve the poor and needy [Prov 19:17; Ps 82:3]
- Defend the weak and fatherless [Ps 82:3]
- Uphold the oppressed and destitute [Ps 82:3]
- Rescue the weak from wicked hands [Ps 82:4]
- Clothe the naked [Matt 25:35-36]
- Visit the sick [Matt 25:36]
- Help in times of trouble [Prov 3:27]
- Console the sorrowing [1 Thess 4:18; Ps 103:8]
- Bear one another's burdens [Gal 6:2]
- Forgive as Christ forgave you [Col 3:13; Ps 103:10-12]
- Do not return evil for evil [1 Pet 3:9]
- Bear patiently wrongs done to you [1 Pet 3:9]
- Love your enemies [[Matt 5:44]]
- Bless those who curse you [1 Pet 3:9]
- Pray for your enemies [Matt 5:44]
- Hate no one [1 John 3:15]
- Do not be proud [Prov 16:18]
- Do not be jealous or envious [Gal 5:26]
- Do not love quarreling [Prov 17:14]
- Shun arrogance [Prov 6:16-17]
- Count others more significant than yourself [Phil 2:3]
- Live holiness before claiming it [1 Pet 1:15-16]
- Do not cling to worldly pleasures [1 John 2:15-17]
- Love simplicity, avoid extravagance [Luke 12:15]
- Chastise and control your body [1 Cor 9:27]
- Deny yourself to follow Christ [Luke 9:23]
- Do not give way to anger [Eph 4:26-27]
- Do not hold grudges [Eph 4:31-32]
- Do not be addicted to wine [Prov 20:1]
- Do not overeat [Prov 23:20-21]
- Do not be lazy [Prov 6:6-11]
- Do not grumble or complain [Jude 1:16]
- Do not gossip [Prov 16:28]
- Pray frequently [1 Thess 5:17]
- Confess faults to one another; pray together [Jas 5:16]
- Confess sins to God and amend them [1 John 1:9]
- Do not fulfill desires of the flesh [Gal 5:16-17]
- Dash wrongful thoughts against Christ [2 Cor 10:5]
- Attribute good to God, not yourself [1 Cor 4:7]
- Recognize evil as your doing [Lam 3:39]
- Put your hope in God [Ps 42:5]
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart [Prov 3:5-6]
- The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing [Ps 23:1]
- God is our refuge and strength [Ps 46:1]
- Be still; know that I am God [Ps 46:10]
- Prefer nothing more than Christ's love [1 Cor 16:22]
- Walk by faith, not sight [2 Cor 5:7]
- Fear the Day of Judgement [2 Cor 5:10]
- Be in dread of hell [Matt 10:28]
- Desire eternal life with passion [John 17:3]
- Keep death daily before your eyes [2 Cor 5:1-10]
- Be a stranger to the world's ways [Rom 12:2; Ps 24:4]
- Fulfill God's commandments daily [1 John 2:3-6]
- Let your light shine before others [Matt 5:16]
- Delight in God's law; meditate daily [Ps 1:2]
- Be like a tree by streams of water [Ps 1:3]
- Enter God's gates with thanksgiving [Ps 100:4]
- Make peace with your adversary quickly [Matt 5:25]
This Code is not a means of salvation. No one is saved by following these rules. Salvation comes by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ [Eph 2:8-9].
This Code is a response to grace, not a condition for it. It represents the founder's commitment to live out their faith in practical ways within the software community, through words, actions, and code.
The Psalms teach that the life of faith includes suffering, despair, sin, and oppression. Lament is the most prominent type of psalm, and notes of distress sound across other types as well. Whatever the season, this Code affirms that the life of faith is lived in relationship with God and others.
This Code reflects the personal Protestant Christian ethics of the founder. It is rooted in:
- The Book of Psalms as wisdom, prayer, and moral formation
- The Ten Commandments as moral law
- The New Testament as the pattern of love, humility, truth, and grace
- The conviction that software development is a form of craftsmanship and service to neighbors
Participation in this project does not require belief in Christianity or agreement with these principles. The founder welcomes people of all faiths and no faith to use and contribute to this project.
This is a one-way covenant: developers commit to treating users, contributors, and customers with integrity, mercy, and honesty regardless of how they are treated in return.
You may include this Code in your software project in one of these ways:
Save this document as CODE_OF_ETHICS.md and reference it from your LICENSE file.
This software is released under [LICENSE NAME].
The developer adheres to a Protestant Code of Ethics based on biblical principles (Psalms, Ten Commandments, New Testament) and treats software development as craftsmanship and service. See CODE_OF_ETHICS.md for details.
This Code is not a condition of use or contribution, and it is not a means of salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith alone [Eph 2:8-9].
## Code of Ethics
This project is governed by a Protestant Code of Ethics rooted in Scripture, the Psalms, the Ten Commandments, and software craftsmanship as service.
We seek to love God and our neighbors, act with truth and humility, practice justice and mercy, and treat code as stewardship. This is a one-way promise: we treat you well regardless of how you treat us.
Salvation is by grace through faith alone [Eph 2:8-9]; this Code is a response to grace, not a condition for it.