Frequently Asked Questions

I am new to GitHub and Open Source. Where should I start?

Check out our How to Contribute to Open Source Guide. It’s a great resource for beginners and includes tips on contributing to open-source projects.

What do I need to know to contribute to the codebase?

freeCodeCamp is built on a modern JavaScript stack. To contribute, you should be familiar with JavaScript and technologies we use, like Node.js, MongoDB, OAuth 2.0, React, Gatsby, and Webpack.

Can I translate freeCodeCamp’s resources?

Yes! You can help translate our resources into any of the 30+ languages we support.

We already have user-contributed translations in several languages and plan to expand to more. For more information, read our announcement.

If you’re interested in helping, make sure to read this guide first.

Can I contribute articles to freeCodeCamp News or videos to freeCodeCamp’s YouTube channel?

Yes! You can contribute articles or videos.

To write articles for freeCodeCamp News, visit our publication guide and check out our style guide to help you write better content.

For contributing educational videos to our YouTube channel, follow the YouTube channel guide.

How can I report a new bug?

If you think you’ve found a bug, first read our How to Report a Bug article and follow the instructions.

If you’re sure it’s a new bug, create a new GitHub issue with as much information as possible. We have an issue template to help guide you.

Please note: GitHub issues are for code-related problems, not for help with learning to code. If you’re unsure, ask for help in the forum before opening an issue.

How can I report a security issue?

Please don’t open a GitHub issue for security concerns. Instead, follow our security policy.

I am a student. Can I work on a feature for academic credits?

Yes, but we cannot guarantee timelines or meet specific requirements from your school. We receive many contributions from volunteers, and we want to respect everyone’s time.

Please plan ahead and understand that we cannot prioritize school-related pull requests.

What do the different labels on issues mean?

Our code maintainers triage issues and pull requests based on priority, severity, and other factors. You can find a complete list of label meanings here.

Where should I start if I want to work on an issue?

Check out the help wanted or first timers only labels for an overview of available issues.

Did you know?

• help wanted issues are open for anyone to work on. You don’t need permission.
• first timers only issues are specifically for people who haven’t contributed to the freeCodeCamp codebase before.

I found a typo. Should I report an issue before making a pull request?

For minor typos or wording changes, you can directly open a pull request without creating an issue first. Just include enough details in the pull request description to help us review your contribution.

For bigger changes, please open an issue first if you want to discuss them.

How can I get an issue assigned to me?

We usually don’t assign issues unless you’re a long-time contributor. Instead, we follow this policy:

1. We merge the first pull request that fixes the issue.
2. If multiple people submit pull requests at the same time, we prioritize the one that best fixes the issue. Some of the factors we consider:
   • Did you include tests?
   • Did you cover all use cases?
   • Did you ensure everything works and all tests pass?
3. We give priority to pull requests that follow our guidelines:
   • Did you follow the pull request checklist?
   • Does your pull request have a meaningful title?

I’m interested in becoming a moderator at freeCodeCamp. Where should I start?

Our community moderators are vital to making freeCodeCamp a welcoming space. To become a moderator, first get involved in the community and follow our code of conduct.

Here’s how you can start:

• Discord/Chat moderators: Be active in the chat, engage positively with others, and learn to manage conflicts.
• Forum moderators: Actively participate in the forum, help others, and provide feedback.
• GitHub moderators: Help review issues and propose solutions.

If you do this consistently over time, you may be recommended by our moderators, and a staff member will reach out to invite you to the team. Please keep in mind that both moderators and contributors are volunteers, so we focus on consistent engagement rather than 24/7 involvement.

Check out our Moderator Handbook for a more detailed list of responsibilities and expectations.

I’m stuck on something that isn’t covered in this documentation.

You can ask for help in:

• The Contributors category of our community forum.
• The #Contributors channel on our chat server.

We’re happy to help you contribute to any project you’re interested in. Feel free to ask questions in the relevant issue threads, and we’ll clarify. Make sure to search for answers before posting new questions.

Thanks for being polite and patient – our community is run mostly by volunteers.

Additional Assistance

If you have questions about the stack, codebase architecture, translations, or anything else, feel free to reach out to our team on the forum.

You can email our developer team at: dev[at]freecodecamp.org.