Contributing to the

WordPress Codex

Lorelle VanFossen

How

to h

elp

on

the C

odex

Want to give back to

WordPress? Good at spelling? Suck at code? Join the WordPress Codex Docs

Team. Coders welcome, too. Lorelle

VanFossen

Which

is easie

r to

read?

I needed to

display my

categories in the

sidebar of my blog

for some reason.

To do this I went to

the Widgets on the

back end and

looked for the

categories widget.

I then dragged it

to the spot I

wanted it. I felt

like a rock star!

This did the trick! I

can do this! I'm a

web designer. :D

To display post categories on your

WordPress site:

1.Go to the WordPress

Administration Panels >

Appearance > Widgets.

2.From the list of available

WordPress Widgets, choose

Categories.

3.Click and drag the

Categories Widget to the

sidebar form on the right

side of the panel to the

appropriate place.

4.To adjust the Widget

placement click and drag it

up or down the sidebar form.

5.To edit the Category

Options:

1.Click the small down

arrow on the right of the

Widget.

2.When the options are

set, click Save.

6.To preview the changes in

your WordPress site sidebar

to check that the

arrangement suits your

needs.

Word

Press

Codex

Sty

les

1. Write in 2nd person.2. WordPress Plugins and WordPress

Themes are capitalized.

3. It's Plugins not plug-ins.

4. It is the WordPress Administration

Screens not backend, Admin, or

dashboard.5. It's a WordPress site not

WordPress blog.6. Code is written with <tt>in

sentences</tt> and <code> or

<pre> as stand alone.

7. Link to every concept or

namesake at the first mention or

new section.8. Use the word "WordPress" too

much.

Word

Press

Codex

O

rganiz

ati

on a

nd

TO

C

What You Most Need to Know

About WordPressLearn How to Use WordPress

Getting Started WordPress Lessons

Intermediate/Advanced

Working with WordPress

ThemesWriting WordPress Plugins

Contribute/Give Back Developers

How

to Join

the

Codex

1. Register: http://bit.ly/wporglogin

2. Log in on Codex http://bit.ly/codexlogin

3. Click your name in Codex Tools

4. An Edit page will appear.

5. Add a short bio, contact info,

and how you wish to

contribute.6. Click Save.7. You've just created your first

Codex page.

Example of a Codex User Page

Views

Page Edit Menu

Toolbox

Organization

Management

Codex Resources

Recent Changes

Random Page

Codex Toolbox Menus

What Links Here: It's about the connections

Every page in the Codex:1.Must have a link to it2.Must link to another page

Page: The article page Discussion: The "chat" about the

article and supporting documentation

Edit: Edit the article History: History of edits and

changes

WordPress Codex Article Features

Discussion

Signature with user page link and timestamp: 4 tildes ~~~~

Triggers a notice to the user that a comment is waiting, part of the communication system.

Summary: Add Twitter-style information on edit. This is a minor edit: Corrected spelling, link fixes, mark as minor edits. Watch Page: This adds to your "watch list" to monitor. Show Preview: Shows preview before publishing. Show Changes: Shows comparison of edits. Save Page: Publishes changes to the public. Editing help: Opens help file with editing tips and techniques.

Keep this open in a tab as reference

== Section Title ==

An empty line after the end of a paragraph starts a new paragraph, just like in the WordPress HTML Editor.

To make ''italic'' use two quote marks.

To make '''bold''' use three quote marks.

=== Sub-Section ===

To create bullets, you use the asterick.* To create numbered lists # You use a pound sign. # Double the asterick (**) or pound (##) to create nested lists.* To make a link: # Internal Link [[WordPress Features]] # Internal Link Different Text [[WordPress Features|the features of WordPress]] # External Link: [http://lorelle.wordpress.com/ Lorelle on WordPress] # Categories: [[Category:WordPress Lessons]]* Links in red do not exist.

Example Writing in the WordPress

Codex

Recent Changes

The heart beat of the WordPress Codex.

Tracks all Codex activity.

Special Pages is your Codex guide to things to do

http://wpdocsteam.wordpress.com/ the current unofficial to do list for the Codex team

How to add to the task lists:

1. Add recommendations/ideas in the comments.2. Be as descriptive as necessary so others will

understand and take action.3. Include a link to the article or related articles.

WordPress Meetup Group Task List

The following are example group tasks for a WordPress Meetup group.

The group should have access to one or more computers. Groups can consist of an individual or up to 6 people. The group can divide up the work and consult with each other on the best choices and decisions.

Recommend groups divide up projects alphabetically, or deal with similar tasks in reverse alphaetical order so they aren't all working on the same documents.

If a task cannot be accomplished, a member should put it on a to list on the WP Docs Team Task List.

Common Notifications to AdminstratorsPlease add the following to the top or bottom of an article where appropriate.

Delete: {{rfd}}Deprecated: {{Deprecated}}Needs Editing: {{Copyedit}}

Incomplete or Short: {{Stub}}Old Pages by WP version:

{{Oldpage|WPVersion}} = {{Oldpage|1.5}}Old Pages/Archaic:

{{Datedpage|Date}} = {{Datedpage|March 24, 2006}}

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

Wanted Pageshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Special:WantedPages

List of links created on other articles to an article that doesn't exist.

1. Is the page link misspelled? 2. Has the page moved?3. Was the article deleted?4. Is more action needed? A new article? Add it

to the task list.

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

Dead End and Lonely Pageshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Special:DeadendPageshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Special:LonelyPages

Dead End Pages do not link to any other pages in the Codex.Lonely Pages are not linked to or from other pages in the Codex. They are orphans.

They need to be linked back to:1. Categories2. Other pages3. Core reference pages (Function References)

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

Search and ReplaceSearch and replace the following terms where appropriate:

1. Dashboard – It is the Administration Panels or Administration Screens.

2. Admin Panels – same3. Blog – WordPress now uses "site"4. Look for other archiac User Interface terms

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

Categorieshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Special:WantedCategorieshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Special:UncategorizedPages

Uncategorized Pages: Need categories.Wanted Categories: Pages with a category that doesn't exist or match existing categories.

1. Is the category link misspelled? 2. Is it a synonym?3. Does it need adding?

[[Category:Category Name]]

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

Random Pages Checkershttp://codex.wordpress.org/Special:Random

Dig around the Codex and look for trouble.1. Check spelling and grammar.2. Check for links to core elements or topics.3. If the page needs additional attention, mark

it with [[Category:Copyedit]] and list it on the WPDocs Task List site.

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

Glossaryhttp://codex.wordpress.org/Glossary

Update, edit, correct, add to the WordPress Codex Glossary. Include links to related articles in the Codex.

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

WordPress in Your Languagehttp://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_in_Your_Language

All external links to international language support sites need to be checked and verified, updated if necessary or removed.

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

TOC Sherlock HolmesYour assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to track down EVERY page in the Codex and match it to a Table of Contents.

http://codex.wordpress.org/Advanced_Topicshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layouthttp://codex.wordpress.org/Developer_Documentationhttp://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPresshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Troubleshootinghttp://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessonshttp://codex.wordpress.org/Working_with_WordPress

Add to TOC task on WPDocs Task List.

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

CopyEdithttp://codex.wordpress.org/Category:Copyedit

Codex uses a special tag "Copyedit" to designate pages that need attention or haven't been reviewed.

1. If the page is complete, remove copyedit category.

2. If it needs more work, do it or list it on the WPDocs Task List site.

The To Do List of the Codex

PDX Meetup Codex Groups

MiscellaneousUnused Files: Look for unused files that should be used or should be deleted.http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:UnusedFiles

Short Pages – short for a reason or incomplete?http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:ShortPages

Long Pages – long for a reason or candidates for breakup? http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:LongPages

Oldest Pages – Are they still relevant or kept for history? http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:AncientPages

http://wpdocsteam.wordpress.com/http://codex.wordpress.org/http://codex.wordpress.org/Help:Editing

Internal Link [[WordPress Features]]

Internal Link Different Text

[[WordPress Features|the features of WordPress]]

External Link: [http://lorelle.wordpress.com/ Lorelle on

WordPress]

Categories: [[Category:WordPress Lessons]]

WordPress Codex Docs Team Resources

Created by Lorelle VanFossen

Senior Editor, WordPress Codex

http://lorelle.wordpress.com/

2012 Copyright and License:

GPL and Copyright FreeYou are welcome to use and

share this with your WordPress

group to help contribute to the

WordPress Codex.

Contr

ibuti

ng t

o t

he

Word

Press

Codex