Mike Schroder gives a presentation on contributing to the WordPress core code. He introduces himself and his background. He outlines the WordPress release cycle and emphasizes starting small by finding bugs to fix on Trac. He details the steps to take a bug from identification to submitting a patch, including getting the source code, applying any patches, creating a new patch, and attaching it to the bug report. He advises contributors to ask for help on IRC and Twitter if their patch is rejected and to work with the community to improve WordPress.

1. Introduction to
Contribution
WordCamp Orange Country 2012
Mike Schroder (DH-Shredder)
@GetSource - http://www.getsource.net

2. Who Am I?
• Mike Schroder, a.k.a DH-Shredder, a.k.a. @GetSource
• Third Culture Kid, enjoy Coffee & Sailing
• WordPress Core and Plugin Contributor
• Happy DreamHost Employee

3. If you haven’t read ...
• http://codex.wordpress.org/Contributing_to_WordPress
• Andrew Nacin’s in-progress handbook:
• http://nacin.com/projects/core-contributor-handbook/

4. Who Contributes?
• Theme Review Team • Polyglots
• Plugin Review Team • .org Systems
• Core Code • Mobile Applications
• UI/UX Group • Documentation
• Support Forums
• Accessibility

5. I’m going to focus on
Core Code
contribution.

6. Core Team?

7. Contributors.

8. Contributors.

9. OKAY.
How can I get on this list
of AWESOME?

10. Your First Contribution

11. Release Cycle
• http://wpdevel.wordpress.com
• foreach ($releases as $release)
• Planning
• Development Cycles/Sprints
• Beta
• RC

12. Planning:
Choose the Scope.

13. Development Cycles:
Teamwork.

14. Beta:
No More Features.

15. Release Candidate:
Just the Regressions.

16. Okay. I understand
the release cycle.
What’s next?

17. Start Small.

18. Look for a Need.

19. “If it’s not on Trac, it
doesn’t exist.”
-Pretty much the entire Core Team.
http://core.trac.wordpress.org

20. Reports are your friend.
• http://core.trac.wordpress.org/report
• Next Major Release:
http://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/6
• Needs Patch:
http://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/16
• Has Patch, Needs Testing:
http://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/13
• View Tickets -> Custom Query (i.e. needs-refresh)

22. Okay. I found a bug.
Now What?
• Get the WordPress.org source from trunk.
• http://codex.wordpress.org/SVN
• svn co http://core.svn.wordpress.org/trunk/
• https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress

23. Apply the Patch, if any.
• Right-click on patch download link, copy URL
• From root of trunk:
• wget http://core.trac.wordpress.org/raw-attachment/
ticket/20000/20000.diff
(or curl -OL http://core ...)
• patch -p0 < 20000.diff

24. Now, create a patch.
• Create all patches from the WordPress root within your
trunk checkout.
• svn diff > bugNumber[.patchNumber].diff
• e.g. svn diff > 20000.2.diff

25. Attach a patch.
• Attach it to the ticket.
• Add a note to the ticket, so that everyone cc’d is
notified.

26. No one has responded.
What now?

27. Bother the crowd.

28. Learn to love IRC.
#wordpress-dev on FreeNode

29. Ask for help.

30. Ping those who are
handling your ticket!

31. Don’t rely on
wp-hackers.

32. Twitter is your friend.

33. Be prepared for rejection.

34. Iteration is key.
It’s okay if someone else has a
better idea.

35. Let’s work together to
make a better WordPress.

36. Any Questions?
• https://irclogs.wordpress.org/
• http://lists.automattic.com/
• http://core.trac.wordpress.org/
• http://codex.wordpress.org/Contributing_to_WordPress
• http://nacin.com/projects/core-contributor-handbook/
• http://aaron.jorb.in/blog/2010/03/commit-the-story-of-
writing-a-wordpress-patch/
• http://patcheswelcome.wordpress.com/
Mike Schroder (DH-Shredder)
@GetSource - http://www.getsource.net