A First-time Developer's Guide for Contributing to WordPress

Key Points

• WordPress is an open source platform that welcomes developers to contribute in many forms, such as contributing core code, error testing, and assisting documentation and support requests.
• As a developer, there are three main forms of contribution to WordPress: improving WordPress documents, developing WordPress cores, themes and plugins, and finding other areas of interest on Make WordPress websites.
• Official WordPress Codex is a community-led project that records every aspect of WordPress. Keeping it updated is a valuable contribution to the community.
• Make WordPress websites are the core hub of all WordPress development fields. It represents every aspect of WordPress and has a dedicated team that makes it an ideal place to participate.

(This article was originally published by Torque Magazine and reprinted here with permission)

WordPress is extremely large, and the same is true for its community. More importantly, WordPress is built on collaboration and has always welcomed new developers to contribute to the project. However, while you may want to help the platform grow further, it may be difficult to know where to apply your skills.

Luckily, no matter how you want to take the first step, it's easy to start WordPress development. There is almost certainly a task that is perfect for you, whether it is directly contributed to WordPress core, test errors, or helping in a variety of other ways.

This article will look more closely at several different areas of WordPress and how you can start contributing to them. But first, we will discuss what the contribution means and why you are doing so. Let's get started!

The significance of contributing to WordPress

Finish readers of the Torque blog will know that we have discussed why you want to develop with WordPress before, and have also explored some misunderstandings about developing for the platform. Here we don't repeat ourselves anymore, we just want to say that we think WordPress is the future of web development.

You may want to participate in many recent and future WordPress innovations. These include exciting technologies such as REST APIs (including how WordPress becomes "headless") and the upcoming Gutenberg editor. In fact, on this blog, Josh Pollock recently looked at how the two major innovations in WordPress collaborate with each other to potentially create amazing designs.

For beginners, the open source nature of WordPress means everyone can participate. If you are a developer, the door will be wider, allowing you to actively contribute not only to the underlying code, but also to documentation, support requests and more. In the next section, we will discuss the details of how to actually participate in WordPress development.

How can you start contributing to WordPress (three ways)

For first-timers, there are three main forms of contributing to WordPress as developers—in-depth research on Codex, processing core platform code, or helping WordPress countless other areas. Let's look at each method in turn.

1. Improve WordPress documentation

Even if you don't have development knowledge, you may have browsed at least one page of the official WordPress Codex. This is a community-led project that aims to document every aspect of WordPress in a wiki-style format. You can think of it as a knowledge base for the entire WordPress platform and the entire user base.

With this in mind, you can imagine how difficult it is to keep such a project up to date, especially in WordPress’s update plan. Additionally, since Codex is a community project, there is inevitably a problem of which pages and parts are updated regularly. For example, there is more attention to popular WordPress themes like Gutenberg or REST API than esoteric aspects such as specific function calls and hooks.

Contributing to WordPress Codex thus brings great value to the entire community. After registering, creating user pages, and reading the guide, there are three key areas that need help:

1. Maintain and manage Codex, including tagging and categorizing pages, and checking for recent changes.
2. Create and manage the content itself, including translating and editing sample code.
3. Participate in the growth and development of Codex. You can do this by joining a dedicated mailing list and regular group chats.

2. Help develop WordPress cores, themes and plugins

If you are a WordPress user with development experience, you may want to do it yourself. The open source nature of the platform means that you can not only use WordPress’s own guidance to develop themes and plugins, but also contribute directly to the core code of the platform. In fact, there is a document on the Make WordPress website discussing how to get involved—the core contributor manual.

This resource is actually a Bible that contributes code to WordPress. It also introduces a number of other ways developers can help. This manual is just one of many documents covering almost all WordPress aspects, such as its design, accessibility, and more.

Given the wide reach of WordPress, it is important to make sure that everyone who contributes to the platform is (actually) on the same page – especially in terms of core contributions. Even a quick glance at the organizational structure of WordPress should give you an idea of ​​how much of the core contribution is.

Ultimately, there are three ways to contribute to the core of WordPress:

1. Testing platform.
2. Writing code that directly improves WordPress functionality.
3. Update related documents to help make the platform more accessible to others.

We have discussed an aspect of contributing to documents, but also need to consider inline and JavaScript file documentation. The latter is especially important given that WordPress turns to focusing on the language.

3. Find other areas of interest on Make WordPress website

It is worth considering that the core of the platform is only part of the larger picture, and some of your skills can be transferred to other areas. In fact, depending on your exact skills, you may contribute more than you thought before.

We mentioned the Make WordPress website in previous chapters. Now, let's take a closer look at it. This is actually the core hub of all WordPress development fields. You will find that all aspects of WordPress are represented by dedicated teams, specializing in design, accessibility, mobile applications and more. Make WordPress websites are somehow the end point for every WordPress field, making it an ideal place to participate.

For example, the mobile team is focused on making WordPress experience smooth on small devices. If you read the brief introduction on the homepage, you will see that developers with knowledge of Java, Objective-C, or Swift will be warmly welcomed. In addition, you may also be interested in the following teams:

• Tide. If you've ever seen PHP or other compatibility warnings when viewing plugins or themes on WordPress.org, you've seen the Tide team. Tide is a series of automated tests running on plugins and themes and is an important part of the approval (and ongoing quality control) process.
• WP-CLI. The WordPress Command Line Interface (WP-CLI) is a great way to manage WordPress websites from your terminal, and the team has been working hard to improve the tool.
• Test. In short, the WordPress testing team uses the Quality Assurance (QA) mindset to “pay, manage and test the WordPress experience.” They study the processes of the entire WordPress ecosystem on many devices as possible. They also test the documentation and report on the User Experience (UX) of WordPress.

No matter your current abilities, there is a field that welcomes and requires your expertise. Contributing to one (or more) smaller teams may be more beneficial to you than just focusing on obvious areas of development.

Conclusion

WordPress has dominated the market in publishing websites due to its collaborative foundation. It is arguably the most versatile and easiest platform available and has the most friendly community! With this in mind, providing your skills by contributing to the platform can help you build experience for your projects and allow you to give back to the community you are a part of.

In this article, we examine three ways to participate in WordPress contributions. Let's quickly review:

1. View the official Codex page contributed by WordPress to learn about the available resources.
2. If you want to dig into the core code of WordPress, read the Core Contributor Manual.
3. Learn about the different areas you need to contribute on your Make WordPress website and reach out to help.

Frequently Asked Questions about Contributing to the WordPress Core

What is WordPress Core?

WordPress core is the basic code that provides support for WordPress software. It includes all the default features of WordPress, such as the ability to create posts, pages and comments, manage users, and customize the appearance of a website. The core is maintained by a team of volunteer developers from around the world who work together to improve and update the software.

How can I contribute to WordPress core?

There are many ways to contribute to the WordPress core. You can write code, create designs, test new features, write documentation, translate software into different languages, and more. To get started, you can join the WordPress core team on its official website, where you can find information about upcoming meetings, current projects, and how to get involved.

Do I need to know how to write code to contribute to WordPress core?

While it may be helpful to know how to write code, this is not a necessary requirement to contribute to the WordPress core. There are many non-coding roles available, such as design, testing, documentation, and translation. If you are interested in learning how to write code, contributing to the core will be a great way to gain experience and learn from experienced developers.

What are WordPress core files?

WordPress core files are files that make up WordPress software. They include management areas, themes and plug-in features, and files on the front end of the website. It is important not to modify these files directly, because the changes will be overwritten when you update WordPress. Instead, you can create a child theme or plugin to customize your website.

How often does WordPress core update?

WordPress core is usually updated every 3-4 months. These updates include new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Be sure to keep your WordPress installation up to date to ensure your website is safe and running smoothly.

What is the WordPress core team?

The WordPress core team is a group of volunteer developers who maintain and improve WordPress software. The team is composed of people from all over the world with a wide range of skills and experience. Anyone can join the core team and there are many ways to contribute.

How can I test new features in WordPress core?

You can test new features in WordPress core by installing the WordPress Beta Tester plugin. This plugin allows you to upgrade your website to the latest development version of WordPress so that you can test new features before they are released to the public.

How can I report errors in WordPress core?

If you find an error in WordPress core code, you can report it on WordPress Trac, a bug tracking system used by WordPress teams. Be sure to provide as much information as possible about the error, including the reproduction steps, any error messages you receive, and your system configuration.

Can I suggest new features for WordPress core?

Yes, you can suggest new features for WordPress core. The best way is to create a ticket on WordPress Trac. Be sure to explain clearly what you think and why you think it is good for the WordPress community.

What is the WordPress Core Manual?

The WordPress Core Manual is a comprehensive guide on contributing to the WordPress core. It includes information on how to set up a development environment, how to write and submit patches, how to test new features, and more. It is a great resource for anyone interested in contributing to WordPress.

Please note that I have tried my best to rewrite the text without changing the general idea of ​​the article and retain the original format and location of the image.

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