How to contribute to a WordPress core in 2024?

WordPress is among the best blogging platforms and CMS. It is an open-source project driven by the WordPress community. So let’s easily see how to contribute to a WordPress core in 2024.

WordPress core is a core files and foundation by which WordPress runs. The things you can do in the WordPress dashboard(Admin area) are also WordPress core. If you are a WordPress developer, you must contribute to it. We are using WordPress for our day-to-day life and it’s time to give back to WordPress in the form of a contribution.

There are multiple channels or communities to which you can contribute. But today we will see how to contribute to WordPress Core.

Step 1: Create a ticket

Visit https://make.wordpress.org/. There you can see multiple projects to contribute. Now go to core or you can directly go with this link https://make.wordpress.org/core/.

You will find all the documentation on how to contribute in the core handbook. But we will learn somehow the faster way to contribute. If you are new to contributing, find a bug in WordPress. If you found a good bug, now it’s time to create a ticket in core trac. Make sure you have already created an account on WordPress.org.

You will find the above UI on creating a new Ticket page. Now add your bug summary. Add some description in briefly so users can understand. If it is somehow complicated to describe add steps to reproduce the bug.

In the type selection, you can select a value like a bug, enhancement, or feature request. Select in which version you saw a bug in version selection. Workflow keyword selection is somehow tricky to select. Click here to check the all details of workflow selection in details. Add Severity according to a bug. Select a component where you find the bug. That’s all you need the details to create a proper ticket. No worry if you have missed or selected the wrong keywords or components. When core team members or contributors will see your ticket, they will update it according to that.

Also, add screenshots, because sometimes pictures say more than a word. Also, add a keyword has-screenshots. If your ticket needs a patch add keyword needs-patch.

Step 2: Add a patch file

Now it’s time to add a patch for the solution of the bug. If you are the first time then you don’t have an idea to create a patch file. For creating a patch file you have to set up a WordPress-develop repo in your local server like XAMPP and have to set up a local environment. Follow the step shown in the repo description and set up the environment according to that.

A patch file is something like the solution to the bug which we have mentioned in the ticket. It will look like the TICKET_NUMBER.diff file. So when you create a ticket it will automatically get a number. If the URL is https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/1234 then your path file should be 1234.diff. When you have a better solution and there is already a patch added you can add your patch as a 1234.2.diff, 1234.3.diff and so on.

To create a patch you must have Git or SVN installed in your local environment. After the setup of the wordpress-develop repo, add the code which is the solution of your ticket, and see if that bug is resolved. If the bug is resolved with your code it will be considered a patch for your ticket. To create a patch(.diff file) go to your root folder with cmd and type the command git diff > 1234.diff . This will generate 1234.diff file in your root folder. Add this patch to your ticket.

See the below screenshot, where I’ve added a patch file.

After adding the patch file remove the keyword needs-patch if it is there and add has-patch keyword.

Step 3: Receiving Props

Now the core team will review your patch and will accept it if applicable or maybe they can give you some suggestions to update in the patch. You can also resubmit the patch file if there are any changes needed. If your patch is correct they will approve it and close the ticket by giving you props.

Now your ticket is complete when the core team member set the resolution close and fixed. And your changes will reflect in the next version of WordPress. You can also see your name in the WordPress contributor list for that version and get a Core Contributor badge on your WordPress.org profile page.

Now you have an idea of how to contribute to the core. You can also find some more tickets at: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/latest

Hope this article will be helpful to start your contribution towards the WordPress core. Keep contributing.

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