Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify the channels through which WordPress contributors connect and discuss project work
- Explain what counts as meaningful participation in a WordPress community discussion
- Participate in at least one community discussion on Slack, GitHub, or a Make WordPress team blog
- Evaluate which community discussions are most relevant to your contribution project and team
Why connecting matters
Contributing to WordPress is not just about the work you produce, it is also about the conversations you join. The WordPress community is global, open, and largely asynchronous. Joining discussions is how contributors share knowledge, ask for help, give feedback, and stay connected to the teams they work with.
This lesson asks you to take one concrete step toward that: participate in at least one community discussion and document it.
Where WordPress community discussions happen
- Slack: The WordPress community uses Slack for real-time and asynchronous conversations. Each contribution team has its own channel. You set up your Slack account in the lesson Join global Slack. To find channels relevant to your team, refer back to the lesson Contribution Team Deep Dive.
- GitHub: Many WordPress teams use GitHub to manage code, documentation, and open issues. You can participate by commenting on an issue, reviewing a pull request, or asking a question in a discussion thread. The WordPress GitHub organization is at github.com/WordPress/.
- Make WordPress team blogs: Each contribution team publishes updates, proposals, and meeting notes on their Make WordPress site at make.wordpress.org. You can participate by leaving a comment on a relevant post from your team.
What counts as participation
Participation means actively contributing to a discussion, not just reading it. Here are examples of what qualifies:
- Posting a question or reply in a Slack channel related to your contribution team
- Commenting on a GitHub issue or pull request with a relevant observation or question
- Leaving a constructive comment on a Make WordPress team blog post
- Introducing yourself in your team’s Slack channel, if you have not done so yet
One genuine, thoughtful contribution is enough. Quality matters more than quantity.
Submit your work
Once you have participated in at least one community discussion, copy the link to that discussion whether it’s a Slack message link, GitHub comment link, or Make WordPress blog comment link, and submit it through your personal form.
Complete the fields for the lesson Connect with WordPress Global Community.
If you have not saved your personal form link, check your email where it was shared with you when you joined. If you cannot find it, ask your mentor and they will send it again.
Fill in your personal form before marking this lesson complete.
Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
| Asynchronous communication | Communication where participants do not need to be online at the same time. Messages are posted and read at different times, as is common in Slack and team blogs |
| Pull request | A proposal to merge a set of changes into a codebase on GitHub; contributors can comment on pull requests to review or discuss the proposed changes |
| Make WordPress | The network of team blogs at make.wordpress.org where WordPress contribution teams post updates, meeting notes, and proposals open for community comment |
✅ Check Your Understanding
- Which community channel: Slack, GitHub, or a Make WordPress team blog feels most relevant to the contribution work you have been doing? Why?
- What did you contribute to the discussion you participated in, and how might it be useful to other contributors?
Remember to fill the form before completing the lesson.