Contributing to WordPress  ## Metadata - Author: [[https://www.facebook.com/brandon.kraft]] - Full Title: Contributing to WordPress - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: [Assign relevant tags or keywords to the note to facilitate organization and retrieval. Add a # before each tag. Tags cannot have special characters. Do not use the tag #articles] - #WordPress - #OpenSource - #Contributions Author: [Brian Krogsgard] Source: [Kraft.blog] Reference: [https://kraft.blog/2024/09/contributing-to-wordpress/] date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} --- # Title: Contributing to WordPress ## Table of Contents: 1. 📝 [Summary](#summary) 2. 📖 [Main Content](#main-content) 3. 🗒️ [Notes](#notes) 4. 📖 [References](#references) 5. 🗣️ [Paraphrase](#paraphrase) 6. 📰 [Newsletter](#newsletter) 7. ✅ [Action Items](#action-items) 8. 🧪 [Hypotheses](#hypotheses) 9. 📊 [Methodology](#methodology) 10. ❓ [Questions](#questions) 11. 🔮 [Future Research](#future-research) 12. 💡 [Implications](#implications) 13. 🧠 [Learning Styles Assessment](#learning-styles-assessment) 14. 📊 [Accessibility Assessment](#accessibility-assessment) 15. 🌍 [DEIB Assessment](#deib-assessment) 16. ✅ [Logical Validity](#logical-validity) 17. 🔍 [SEO Evaluation](#seo-evaluation) 18. 🎯 [Conclusion](#conclusion) ### References: Include a list of sources consulted and cited in the article. ## 📝 Summary: The article discusses the many ways contributors can engage with the WordPress project, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, inclusivity, and the diverse nature of contributions, from coding to community events. The author shares insights on building an impactful contributor culture and how individuals of all skills can get involved. ## 📖 Main Content: The article begins by laying out the different areas in which people can contribute to WordPress—such as core development, design, documentation, translations, and organizing community events. The author stresses that WordPress thrives because of the active involvement of its contributors. They provide examples of successful contributions and initiatives within the community. The author also touches on the challenges that contributors face and offers solutions for improving contributor onboarding and creating a more inclusive environment. ### 🗒️ Notes - **Different Ways to Contribute**: - Core Development: Writing or reviewing code. - Design: Enhancing user experience and visual elements. - Documentation: Ensuring end-users and developers have access to accurate and understandable guides. - Community: Organizing and participating in WordCamps and Meetups. - **Inclusivity and Engagement**: - The author emphasizes making the onboarding process for new contributors as seamless as possible. - Suggestions for improving documentation, mentoring, and creating welcoming spaces are included. ## 📖 References: - Krogsgard, Brian. "Contributing to WordPress." Kraft.blog, 2024. [https://kraft.blog/2024/09/contributing-to-wordpress/] ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original Paragraph**: "WordPress relies on thousands of individuals who volunteer their time and expertise. Whether it's coding, designing, or helping users in support forums, the WordPress community is what drives the platform's success." - **Paraphrased**: WordPress is powered by countless volunteers contributing their time and skills in various ways, from coding to design to user support, forming the backbone of its success. 2. **Original Paragraph**: "A common barrier for new contributors is not knowing where to start. The WordPress community must be proactive in helping newcomers understand the opportunities available and providing guidance." - **Paraphrased**: Many newcomers struggle with figuring out where to begin. It's essential for the WordPress community to actively assist new contributors by showing them the opportunities and offering support. ## 📰 Newsletter: 📰 **WordPress Contribution Guide**: Thinking of giving back to WordPress? 💡 This week's feature from Brian Krogsgard is a must-read for anyone looking to get started with contributing to the open-source platform. Whether you code, design, translate, or organize events, there’s a place for you! 🎉 Find out how you can get involved and make an impact in this incredible community. Check it out here: [https://kraft.blog/2024/09/contributing-to-wordpress/]. #WordPress #OpenSource #Community #Contributions ## ✅ Action Items: This article aligns perfectly with my focus on open-source advocacy and community engagement. It provides actionable strategies for improving contributor onboarding and inclusivity—key areas in my role as a Developer Advocate. I can utilize these insights to enhance the WordPress onboarding process, making it more transparent and approachable, which is vital for nurturing new contributors and sustaining community growth. This also aligns with my aspiration to foster a transparent and inclusive culture in the WordPress ecosystem. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Improved documentation and mentoring programs will increase the number of active contributors. - Enhancing the inclusivity of WordCamps will foster more diverse contributions. - Streamlined onboarding processes will reduce the drop-off rate of new contributors. ### 📊 Methodology: - **Data Sources**: Surveys from contributors, WordPress contributor event attendance records, project contribution analytics. - **Research Design**: Mixed-methods approach—combining quantitative analysis of onboarding data with qualitative interviews from recent contributors. - **Analysis Techniques**: Thematic analysis for qualitative data and regression analysis for quantitative data. ### ❓ Questions: - What are the most common challenges faced by new WordPress contributors? - How can documentation be improved to help onboard people more effectively? - In what ways can the WordPress community better support underrepresented groups in contributing? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Assess the impact of mentorship programs on long-term contributor engagement. - Explore the efficacy of different communication tools for connecting new and experienced contributors. - Analyze how the diversity of contributors affects innovation in WordPress development. ### 💡 Implications: Future research can improve contributor satisfaction and retention, inform best practices for open-source community management, and potentially increase the diversity and skill sets of WordPress contributors. ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: 1. **Visual Learners**: - **Present**: None. - **Improve**: Add flowcharts illustrating different areas of contribution. 2. **Aural Learners**: - **Present**: None. - **Improve**: Embed a podcast episode or audio summary discussing contributions. 3. **Verbal Learners**: - **Present**: Detailed text descriptions of contribution areas. - **Improve**: Add more storytelling or personal anecdotes to enrich understanding. 4. **Physical Learners**: - **Present**: None. - **Improve**: Add exercises or tutorials to help people get hands-on experience. 5. **Logical Learners**: - **Present**: Step-by-step guides for contribution processes. - **Improve**: Include more problem-solving tasks or challenges. 6. **Social Learners**: - **Present**: Community involvement suggestions. - **Improve**: Create prompts for group discussions or peer mentoring. 7. **Solitary Learners**: - **Present**: Opportunities for reflection. - **Improve**: Include self-paced learning materials. 8. **Naturalistic Learners**: - **Present**: None. - **Improve**: Draw connections between open-source contributions and sustainability. ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment: - **Screen Reader Compatibility**: No specific mention. - **Improve**: Ensure all images have alt-text and proper semantic HTML tags are used. - **Keyboard Navigation**: Unclear. - **Improve**: Test and ensure complete keyboard navigability. - **Contrast and Readability**: Needs evaluation. - **Improve**: Use a high-contrast color scheme to improve readability. - **Text Resizing**: Not mentioned. - **Improve**: Ensure responsiveness to text resizing without breaking layout. ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment: - **Cultural Relevance**: Lacks diversity. - **Improve**: Include case studies from contributors in different cultural contexts. - **Inclusive L - Document Tags: [[governance]] [[matt mullenweg]] [[wordpress]] [[wordpress contribution]] [[wpdrama]] - Summary: I know the big dogs are fighting (and disclaimer I work for one of the big dogs and I used to make my living building websites using a theme framework the other one owns now), but a ton of contrib… - URL: https://kraft.blog/2024/09/contributing-to-wordpress/ I know the big dogs are fighting (and disclaimer I [work for one of the big dogs](https://automattic.com/) and I used to make my living building websites using [a theme framework the other one owns now](https://www.studiopress.com/)), but a ton of contributors contribute because they want to help the community. Not because they were sponsored, though I found a company that would pay me to do what I’d do anyhow, but because they felt the empowerment that an open-source community could give and wanted to help give that to others. [I’ve contributed at least some little piece of code to every major release of WordPress from 3.6 until 6.5](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/search?q=kraftbj) (sabbatical and ended up not getting anything into the latest 6.6 release). [I donate my own money to the Foundation](https://wordpressfoundation.org/donors/). [I’ve spoken at WordCamps](https://wordpress.tv/?s=brandon%20kraft) and meetups (though it has been awhile ) and led Contributor Days—hell, [even one at WP Engine’s office](https://www.meetup.com/austinwordpress/events/181546312/) way before their Silver Lake days. I’ve released and maintained free plugins—[including one used, at one point, on over 100k sites that use the WP Engine-owned Genesis framework](https://wordpress.org/plugins/genesis-enews-extended/) that has over 1.1M downloads. I’ve admin’d the default theme demo sites since [Twenty Twenty](https://2020.wordpress.net/). I don’t do any of that because Automattic wants me to—though they do and they celebrate it internally—but because WordPress changed my life. Matt isn’t perfect. I don’t always agree with him and don’t always agree with how he does things. I’ve found over the 11 years I’ve worked with him that we’re usually aligned in principle, but I don’t think he always communicates or executes it as well as I think he could while in my comfortable armchair. I don’t contribute for Matt. I’m not going to stop because of Matt. As long as WordPress and the WordPress community continue to change lives like it has mine, I’m going to keep contributing. I have things to say about the fight, but I don’t want to lose sight of individuals contributing because they want to contribute is a huge, huge part of what has made WordPress., Contributing to WordPress, https://www.facebook.com/brandon.kraft, 01j8whkc91c6apm9kr9jpfy6t2.