Title: WordPress Meta Environment Author: Ian Dunn Published: June 23, 2014 Last modified: December 27, 2022 --- [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 2:13 am _on_ June 23, 2014 Tags: contributing, vagrant, [varying-vagrant-vagrants ( 2 )](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/varying-vagrant-vagrants/), [wordcamp.org ( 11 )](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/wordcamp-org/), [wordpress-meta-environment ( 5 )](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/wordpress-meta-environment/) # WordPress Meta Environment Setting up local development environments to contribute to the MetaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. sites can be an obstacle for those without access to the private subversionSVN Apache Subversion (often abbreviated SVN, after its command name svn) is a software versioning and revision control system. Software developers use Subversion to maintain current and historical versions of files such as source code, web pages, and documentation. Its goal is to be a mostly compatible successor to the widely used Concurrent Versions System (CVS). WordPress core and the wordpress.org released code are all centrally managed through SVN. https://subversion.apache.org/. repositories or a sandbox, especially at a meetupMeetup All local/regional gatherings that are officially a part of the WordPress world but are not WordCamps are organized through [https://www.meetup.com/](https://www.meetup.com/). A meetup is typically a chance for local WordPress users to get together and share new ideas and seek help from one another. Searching for ‘WordPress’ on meetup.com will help you find options in your area. or 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](https://central.wordcamp.org/about/). contributor dayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of [https://make.wordpress.org/](https://make.wordpress.org/) There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. [https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/](https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/), where time is limited. We’ve talked a bit before about making this easier by creating a Vagrant configuration, so I put together [a prototype](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment) based on Varying Vagrant Vagrants, with WordCamp.org as the first site. The sample data needs a little love, but other than that I think it works pretty well. I’ll test it out with some people this weekend at WordCamp Seattle. If anyone on the team wants to add other sites or make any changes, just let me know and I’ll add you to the repo. [#contributing](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/contributing/), [#vagrant](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/vagrant/), [#varying-vagrant-vagrants](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/varying-vagrant-vagrants/), [#wordcamp-org](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/wordcamp-org/), [#wordpress-meta-environment](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/tag/wordpress-meta-environment/) ### Share this: * [ Threads ](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?share=threads) * [ Mastodon ](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?share=mastodon) * [ Bluesky ](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?share=bluesky) * [ X ](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?share=x) * [ Facebook ](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?share=facebook) * [ LinkedIn ](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?share=linkedin) * [Login to Reply](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmake.wordpress.org%2Fmeta%2F2014%2F06%2F23%2Fwordpress-meta-environment%2F%23respond&locale=en_US) 1. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9199983e366d3261c4e854b24e0e36bd40ea7275b719b9376a88ea8fd1dc3811? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 2. [Birgit Olzem](https://profiles.wordpress.org/coachbirgit/) 11:40 am _on_ June 23, 2014 3. Hello Ian, 4. that´s sounds great. 5. I need an environment to contribute to the rosetta sites. I know, the theme itself is open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. already, but the dependencies to global variables prevent a local setup for testing and contributing. 6. My 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/](https://github.com/) nick is CoachBirgit. 7. Thank you very much. 8. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 3:55 pm _on_ June 23, 2014 * You’re added 🙂 * If you look at how i setup a sandbox-functionality.php mu-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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. for WordCamp.dev[1, 2], that might help with resolving conflicts like the ones you mentioned. * [1] – [https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/master/config/wordpress-config/sites/wordcamp.dev/sandbox-functionality.php](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/master/config/wordpress-config/sites/wordcamp.dev/sandbox-functionality.php) [ 2] – [https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/master/provision/sites/wordcamp.dev.sh](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/master/provision/sites/wordcamp.dev.sh) * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 7:54 pm _on_ July 8, 2014 * I added global.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/](https://wordpress.org/). The rosetta 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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. isn’t open-sourced yet, but I worked around all the fatal errors. It needs some more work (see [TODO.md](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/master/TODO.md)), but it’s mostly functional now. * If you’ve already cloned WME, you’ll need to update it like this: * cd /path/to/WME vagrant halt git pull origin master rm -rf www/*.dev vagrant up –provision * Let me know if you run into any problems 🙂 9. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 10. [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 8:22 am _on_ June 24, 2014 11. I added jobs.wordpress.net and developer.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/](https://wordpress.org/). 12. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/120b2dbc332ea0daf46d432e7d1fd3bf9a2b98955f9bad07dfd3ff8eb0fdfc87? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Stephen Edgar](https://profiles.wordpress.org/netweb/) 8:47 am _on_ June 24, 2014 * NIce, you should mention this to the devhub team and/or post on ‘Make Docs’ add a link in the [devhub handbook](https://make.wordpress.org/docs/handbook/projects/devhub/) - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 9:18 pm _on_ June 24, 2014 - Good idea, thanks! * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/40d6fb2e10b96de3a8e01e2825f69966adf09614261f2d3609efbab3f7bef4a3? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Fahmi Adib](https://profiles.wordpress.org/fahmiadib/) 5:44 am _on_ July 11, 2014 * Hello Ian, * i noticed you have wrong URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org for the first link on this page : [https://make.wordpress.org/docs/handbook/projects/devhub/](https://make.wordpress.org/docs/handbook/projects/devhub/). * Its missing ‘s’ in developer.wordpres.org - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 3:23 pm _on_ July 11, 2014 - Thanks for pointing that out Fahmi, I’ve fixed the link. 13. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 14. [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 7:17 pm _on_ July 1, 2014 15. I got some really good feedback on this at 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](https://central.wordcamp.org/about/). Seattle’s contrib day, and fixed [a few problems](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/compare/851cf85b40...c8e7e4cfb7). 16. There’s [more work to do](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/master/TODO.md) to make the setup easier, but I think this is a very helpful tool for onboarding new contributors. 17. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0995fb85aa1971a73670bfccd67ef9b3c6891d2aacce0b6bbbba17bbb063271c? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 18. [Mickey Kay](https://profiles.wordpress.org/mcguive7/) 4:29 am _on_ October 28, 2014 19. Hey Ian, 20. Your Vagrant setup made it super easy to get started – thanks for creating it and for your help at WCSF! There was one thing that came up that might be worth adding some documentation for to help new contributors get started. In header. php and footer.php in at least one of the included sites, there are require calls that include references to WPORGPATH. For example: 21. require WPORGPATH . ‘header.php’; 22. and 23. require WPORGPATH . ‘footer.php’; 24. Since WPORGPATH isn’t defined properly when working locally (right?), these requires don’t work. Otto suggested just copying and pasting in 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/](https://wordpress.org/)/header.php and /footer.php, which seemed to work okay, but I’m wondering if there’s not a better way. And if this is the suggested method at present, is there any documentation of this sort of thing? 25. Coming out of the contributor dayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of [https://make.wordpress.org/](https://make.wordpress.org/) There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. [https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/](https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/), I think one of the things I would be interested in seeing more of is documentation on how folks who are brand new to this can setup and install the local wordpress. org (or coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. for that matter) environment. Where is the place to find what documentation exists, and who’s the person to talk to about helping out? 26. Thanks – you rock! 27. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5783a2d9b93f04f6d0a1ddabddcfd71f15136d7eaea7a87f9962d3f93f780224? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Ian Dunn](https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/) 5:51 pm _on_ October 28, 2014 * Hey Mickey, WPORGPATH should be defined in the wp-config for each site that needs it. For example, - [https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/bc3afee2bc953d29033ce6814cd18fcb093e1c5d/config/wordpress-config/sites/developer.wordpress.dev/wp-config.php#L26](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/bc3afee2bc953d29033ce6814cd18fcb093e1c5d/config/wordpress-config/sites/developer.wordpress.dev/wp-config.php#L26) - [https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/e09d0a55dbcefbc3648c6aa1dd7b4af361503c40/config/wordpress-config/sites/global.wordpress.dev/wp-config.php#L33](https://github.com/iandunn/wordpress-meta-environment/blob/e09d0a55dbcefbc3648c6aa1dd7b4af361503c40/config/wordpress-config/sites/global.wordpress.dev/wp-config.php#L33) * If you’re seeing errors about it not being defined, try deleting the site and re-provisioning it. e.g, * cd wordpress-metaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress.-environment vagrant ssh rm -rf /srv/www/ developer.wordpress.dev sh /vagrant/provision/sites/developer.wordpress.dev. sh * If that doesn’t work, let me know which site isn’t working and I’ll try to reproduce it on my machine. * Right now the only docs for the Meta Environment are what’s in the 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/](https://github.com/) repo README (which relies heavily on the VVV setup instructions). We recorded a video walkthrough of setting up the Meta Environment on Sunday, so that should be available online soon. It’d be helpful to have someone with fresh eyes point out anything in the README that’s missing, misleading, etc. * For setting up a CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. environment, Varying Vagrant Vagrants itself does a great job of that. ### Leave a Reply 󠀁[Cancel reply](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/23/wordpress-meta-environment/?output_format=md#respond)󠁿 You must be [logged in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmake.wordpress.org%2Fmeta%2F2014%2F06%2F23%2Fwordpress-meta-environment%2F&locale=en_US) to post a comment. # Post navigation [← WCSF 2014](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/06/13/wcsf-2014/) [@otto42 Can you get rid of the make… →](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2014/08/21/otto42-can-you-get-rid-of-the-make/)