hledger/doc/CONTRIBUTING.md

# Contributor Quick Start

<div class=pagetoc>

<!-- toc -->
</div>

New contributors of all kinds are always welcome in the hledger project. 
We invite you to jump in, and thank you!

There are many ways to help. Browse the ideas below,
and/or say hello in the [chat](support.md) and we'll help find you a useful job.

## Visitor / passer-by ?

- Give feedback on the site and your impressions of the project, small or large, good or bad. This is valuable.

## New user ?

- Report your new user experiences, small or large, good or bad. This is valuable.

## Tech supporter ?

- Share what you've learned so far to help others. This is a quadruple win -
  it helps them, improves your own understanding, builds community, and frees up maintainer time!

## Funder ?

- Become a financial backer: [Sponsor hledger](sponsor.md)
- Contribute or pledge bounties on issues you care about
- Ask your organization to contribute
- Work on project [finance](FINANCE.md) - accounting, fundraising, sustainability..

## Tester ?

- Test installation on platforms you have access to
- Test examples, advice, and links in the docs
- Run the latest release or developer build in daily use
- Run [tests](#run-package-tests)
- Run [benchmarks](#run-package-benchmarks)
- Report packaging, documentation, UX, functional, performance issues (<https://bugs.hledger.org/new>)
- Test new releases, report regressions and collect regression finder bounties
- Discuss and help analyse problems via chat/mail list/issue tracker

## Bug wrangler ?

- Respond to issue reports when needed, especially if they are from new reporters
- Add appropriate labels to issues to categorise them
- Follow up on inactive/stalled issues, help move things forward
- Link/merge related issues
- Keep an overview of the issue tracker, report stats & trends
- Improve issues urls & dashboard(s)
- Help ensure a consistently good bug-reporting and PR-contributing experience

## Bug fixer ?

- Get familiar with issue tracker, issue labels, shortcut urls, issue dashboards..
- Review open bug reports
- Try to fix or help fix some
- Fix regressions and collect regression fixer bounties

## Developer ?

- Give feedback on your experience using the hledger packages
- Suggest API improvements
- See the [Developer FAQ](DEVFAQ.md) and other [Developer docs](dev.md).

## Technical writer ?

- Get familiar with the documentation, website and online presence; review and test
- Get familiar with the doc/site source files and generation process (see [Just, Make, Shake](JUST-MAKE-SHAKE.md))
- Help improve user, contributor, process docs

## Web designer / webmaster ?

- Review and help improve our web presence

## Graphic designer ?

- Review and improve logos, graphics, design language
- Contribute illustrations, diagrams, cartoons, mockups

## Packager ?

- Start/test/improve hledger's packaging on various platforms
- Find/assist/take over from existing packagers
- Improve packaging-related docs/links
- Develop mac or windows installers

## Marketer / communicator ?

- Clarify project goals, value proposition, brand, mission, story
- Monitor product-market fit
- Identify new opportunities
- Influence developer priorities
- Spread the word!

## Product designer ?

- Contribute design input to discussions in issue tracker and elsewhere
- Develop your whole-system view of the hledger "product" (user software, docs, online presence, new user experience etc.)

## Community builder/moderator ?

- Participate in [support](support.md) channels
- As a regular member or moderator, help to resolve/report incidents
- Help uphold and improve our community structures and dynamics

## Project manager ?

- Monitor, report on project progress and performance
- Research, compare and report on successful projects, related projects
- Identify collaboration opportunities
- Assist with marketing, communication, outreach
- Assist with maintainer tasks

## Maintainer / co-maintainer ?

- Manage and ship releases
- Manage the project roadmap
- Clarify/update goals and principles
- Resolve issues
- Serve the community