Before you begin

These steps are the same no matter which part of WordPress you want to contribute to. Start here first, then jump into any pathway.

Accounts you’ll need

WordPress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ account: Create one here. This is your identity across all WordPress community spaces. We recommend filling out your profile too.
SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ account: Join the Making WordPress Slack. This is where most teams communicate day to day. Add a basic profile there as well, preferably with the same picture you’ll use on GitHubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/.
GitHub account: Sign up here. Many teams track work and accept contributions through GitHub. Even if you won’t be coding, GitHub will come in handy: for example, we manage this handbook there!

Some projects and teams may have further requirements, but this is a good start! This video lesson can walk you through setting up a WordPress.org and Slack account.

As you contribute, you can earn badges on your WordPress.org profile. Most teams offer a contribution badge for meaningful contributions, and some also have a team badge for consistent long-term involvement. Each team sets its own criteria and timeline — you’ll find the details on that page.

Standards

These standards apply across the project, no matter what you’re working on.

Everyone:

All Developers:

PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. Developers:

When you join a Slack channel

Introduce yourself! A quick hello goes a long way. Something like this:

Hi! I’m [name], and I’m interested in contributing to [area]. Happy to be here!

If you’re a Credits student or contributing from a WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They’re one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more., mention that too. No one expects a formal introduction. People just like to know who’s around. And when others introduce themselves, it’s nice to reply in thread to welcome them, too.

Etiquette

Slack:

Use threads to keep conversations organized
Be patient with responses, since our volunteers live in many different time zones
Avoid broad pings like @here or @everyone, and use @mentions sparingly, not to pressure someone for a faster response
Ask questions in public channels rather than DMs, so others can benefit from the answers. Use DMs for sensitive topics.
Include context like links and screenshots in your messages:
- ❌ help!
- ✅ Can someone help me with this guide? I’m getting an error on step 1: “fatal: unable to connect to develop.git.wordpress.org” (and then attach a screenshot)

GitHub:

When you’re picking up an issue, leave a comment so others know you’ll be working on it
If you aren’t able to finish, comment with what you learned and where you stopped
Read the issue or PR description fully before jumping in
PRs should generally be connected to issues
Keep comments focused and constructive
Write clear commit messages — future you will thank you
When in doubt, comment with your thoughts, findings, and questions

Found a bug?

If you find a bug while working through pathway guide, check the team handbook for their bug reporting process. If there isn’t one, post in the team’s Slack with what happened and how to reproduce it.

If the bug blocks your pathway, also let us know here so we can fix the guide. Link to any related issues or Slack messages.

Getting help

If you’re stuck on a pathway:

Re-read the steps and any linked resources
Search the web or ask an AI assistant — you may find the answer quickly
Search the relevant Slack channel, since someone may have asked the same question before
Ask in the channel with context about what you tried and where you’re stuck
If the pathway itself isn’t clear, file an issue with construtive feedback