There are several ways to get involved and give back to the WordPress community.
WordPress is an open source project, which means that the core software and a host of tools to expand it are completely free to use and modify. That spirit extends to all aspects of the software and supporting information.
The community comes together to create additions to WordPress, translate it into different languages, and help advance all aspects of the core software.
However, the community contribution is not just limited to developers. Anyone who wants to participate can find a way to help. All you really need is a WordPress.org account and the desire to get stuck.
There are many ways to participate and we will see some of them here.
1. Develop a free plugin or theme
This is the most common method of giving back to the WordPress community. There are hundreds of free themes and plugins in the WordPress repository for the community to use. To show you the great variety that is being created, I go through them all and highlight my favorite plugins and themes each month.
This is not an option for those who are unwilling to remain committed for the long term. Any themes or plugins that are created will need constant updates to ensure that they are bug-free and compatible with each new version of the major software.
By the way, you don't need to be a developer to develop plugins and themes. I worked with a developer to create two plugins (with another two on the way).
Sure, it cost me a bit of money, but I have created add-ons that I had a personal need for. and they are helping other people. It also doesn't hurt my reputation in the WordPress community.
The development of plugins and themes is a common initial step for many contributors in creating their own company that sells premium products for WordPress. It's the most challenging level of contribution, but ultimately, without people giving their time to create themes and plugins, WordPress wouldn't be as diverse as it is today.
2. Answer support questions on the forums
Support forums are a great way to get involved in the community. There are always new WordPress users looking for help and guidance, and with a dearth of moderators, it can be one of the best places to start giving back. You should not think you are a WordPress expert, but if you have any experience, there will be questions you can answer (considering that the vast majority of questions are asked by absolute beginners).
There are a lot of open threads right now, which can make selecting where to start a bit overwhelming. A good way to approach this is to think about a problem you recently had with WordPress that you were able to fix. Use the search function on the forums to find people asking about the same problem and write how you solved it.
For more information about how to participate in the support forums, this page explains everything you need to know.
3. Maintain documentation
The codex contains everything you need to know about WordPress. It is constantly updated and requires volunteers to fix bugs, review pages, and at the same time add new articles to expand WordPress documentation, especially when new versions are released.
There is always a requirement to help keep Codex up to date. If you think this might be something that appeals to you, take a look at the Guidelines for Codex Contributors and get involved.
4. Work on WordPress translation
The WordPress GUI works in American English by default, but has the ability to use other languages.
If you speak more than one language, then an ideal method of giving back to WordPress may be to help translate the core software into your language. This is especially important if WordPress is not yet available in your language. While working on the software, you can at the same time help by translating the many Codex pages into another language.
If you want to help with WordPress translation, you can find more information about it on the (* 8 *) Polyglot Team Page.
5. Develop the WordPress user interface
If your skills lie more in the field of design, then the (* 8 *) User Interface Team it can be an ideal place for your talents. This team focuses on the front-end design and development of the WordPress user interface.
There are constant discussions about design and user testing with people providing mockups of their ideas in the UI group. If there is something in the current user interface that you disagree with and would like to change, this group is the place to make that argument.
6. Improve WordPress accessibility
If you or someone you know uses assistive technology, then helping the Accessibility team may be the perfect place for you to get involved.
This team works on assistive technology in the core of WordPress and is always looking for feedback. Let them know of any issues you may have experienced and any ideas you may have to further the software.
If this appeals to you, follow the Make WordPress an accessible blog and leave comments on your discussions there.
7. Help grow the community
There are many WordCamps and hundreds of WordPress meetings that occur around the world each year. These events are ideal places for community members to come together in one place to share information about development, design, and all aspects of WordPress (see Carrie's summary of her experience at WordCamp San Francisco 2013, or see why our friend Pippin attends WordCamps).
If there is a meeting or WordCamp in your area right now, you can contact the organizers and offer to help.
If there isn't a current meeting or WordCamp in your area, why not try starting one?
Organizing a meeting or WordCamp is not an easy task and requires a lot of work both before and during the event. If this is something you are thinking of doing, then it would be a very good idea to connect with other members of the Make WordPress Community site for advice and support.
Community events are not limited to physical locations. There are numerous forums, IRC chats, and online workshops that are geared toward community outreach volunteers in mind.
8. Donate to the WordPress Foundation
If you are concerned that none of the above options is for you, whether you don't have the time or skills to help in any of those ways, there is another option open to you. The WordPress Foundation is a charity tasked with pushing WordPress as an open source project.
It is a non-profit organization that owns the WordPress trademark, funds a range of open source projects, and is an educational organization for WordPress and open source development.
We've talked about various options that you can get involved with in the WordPress community, but there are plenty of other ways to contribute. To get involved in the community everyone For real what is needed is a desire to give back. So you just need to figure out how you can do it in the way that best suits your talents.
Your contribution to the community could be in the form of theme and plugin reviews or you could be working with the design and user interface teams to promote the look and feel of WordPress. Your contribution could even be based on your desire to boost WordPress to new users and help them get started. There is really no limit to the options available to you.
Have you given back to the WordPress community in any way? We'd love to hear from you in the comments.
