Contributing to WordPress

Moving From User to Contributor

WordCamp Grand Rapids 2019

Tim Nolte

Twitter: @tnolte
https://www.timnolte.com
https://www.ndigitals.com
https://github.com/timnolte

What Does It Mean To Be A Contributor


All you need is a desire to help.

Give Your Time


Share Your Knowledge & Experience


  • Share your favorite Themes & Plugins on your blog, social media, at a local meetup
  • Help others in the WordPress.org Support Forums
  • Give a talk at a local meetup or WordCamp

Use Your Talents: Non-Developers


  • Help maintain the website content for a local non-profit, school, or community service organization.
    • Type and/or write copy.
    • Take photos and prepare them for their website.
    • Organize a website marketing/content calendar.
  • Help to translate WordPress and/or your favorite plugins – Translator’s Handbook
  • Help update the WordPress documentation – Documentation Contributor Handbook

Use Your Talents: Developers


  • Assist with WordPress.org plugin fixes and enhancements.
    • Look at the WordPress.org Support forums and submit a patch/fix or new feature.
    • Look at the plugin’s own Issues Tracker(GitHub?) and submit a patch/fix or new feature.
    • Participate in Hacktoberfest
  • Contribute to WordPress Core – Developer Hub

How I Became A Contributor


  1. Volunteered at a WordCamp
  2. Participated in the WordPress Grand Rapids Slack group
  3. Submitted fixes to WordPress plugins I used as part of Hacktoberfest
  4. Helped Organize, Volunteered, and Spoke at a WordCamp
  5. Submitted feature enhancements to a WordPress.org plugin and became a co-maintainer

Q & A

Tim Nolte

Twitter: @tnolte
https://www.timnolte.com
https://www.ndigitals.com
https://github.com/timnolte