Contributing to
WordPress
by Mark Jaquith
markjaquith.com

My WordPress Story
• 2001 - “What’s a ‘blog?’”
• 2002 - “Gosh Mom, I can’t believe you
don’t know what a blog is.”
• 2003 - “I want one of those.”
• 2004 - “Movable Type is so 2003.”
• 2004 - “... so what else is there?”

• 2004, May - WordPress: free, Free,
hackable, participative, friendly... home.
• 2004-present - WP plugins, core
patches, bug triage, part time consulting.
• 2006-present - gained commit access to
WP, in charge of legacy 2.0.x branch.
• 2006-present - full time job as
WordPress consultant.

Why contribute?
• Improve the software you use
• Influence something potentially immortal
• Become part of a community
• Karma, man... karma

Jump in!
• Report
• Fix
• Document
• Discuss
• Break stuff (Matt only)

Report
• trac.wordpress.org/newticket
• user/pass from wordpress.org/support/

How to write a bad
bug report
• Make the title of the report something
uninformative
• bonus points if it is simultaneously insulting:
“Problem you idiots need to fix”

• Make it interesting: keep the WP version
you’re using a secret
• Be firm: demand an immediate solution
• When it comes to descriptions, less is
more: “_____ is broken. kthxbye.”
• “closed: wontfix” should be considered a
personal insult, and a declaration of war

But seriously...

How to write a good
report
• Descriptive title
• Easily reproducible steps to encounter the
issue
• WP version where bug can be triggered
• Cogent argument for desired solution
(optional)

Fix
• trac.wordpress.org/report
• svn co
http://svn.automattic.com/wordpress/
• cd trunk
• svn up
• svn di > patch.diff

• Coding standards - row the boat before
you rock it
• Responsible security disclosure:
security@wordpress.org
• Ask to be mentored
• Don’t get discouraged - grab some fruit
• “Fix the thing-a-whatsit. Props JSmith.”

Document
• codex.wordpress.org
• user/pass from wordpress.org/support/

Discuss
• lists.automattic.com
• WP-Hackers
• WP-Testers
• more...
• #wordpress on Freenode
• wordpress.org/support/

Make a difference
• Use your natural talents
• Contribute because you want to contribute
• Take vacations
• Be a friendly WordPress ambassador
• Communicate as you contribute

Questions?