Contributing To WordPress

Slide 1: Contributing to WordPress by Mark Jaquith markjaquith.com

Slide 2: 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?”

Slide 3: • 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.

Slide 4: Why contribute? • Improve the software you use • Influence something potentially immortal • Become part of a community • Karma, man... karma

Slide 5: Jump in! • Report • Fix • Document • Discuss • Break stuff (Matt only)

Slide 6: Report • trac.wordpress.org/newticket • user/pass from wordpress.org/support/

Slide 7: 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”

Slide 8: • 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

Slide 9: But seriously...

Slide 10: 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)

Slide 11: Fix • trac.wordpress.org/report • svn co http://svn.automattic.com/wordpress/ • cd trunk • svn up • svn di > patch.diff

Slide 12: • 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.”

Slide 13: Document • codex.wordpress.org • user/pass from wordpress.org/support/

Slide 14: Discuss • lists.automattic.com • WP-Hackers • WP-Testers • more... • #wordpress on Freenode • wordpress.org/support/

Slide 15: Make a difference • Use your natural talents • Contribute because you want to contribute • Take vacations • Be a friendly WordPress ambassador • Communicate as you contribute

Slide 16: Questions?