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Guide for Contributors
Fork, improve, and share GPL products with the community
Contributor's Guide
Help expand our library. Fork products, maintain updates, and build your reputation in the community.
What is Contributing?
Contributors help keep our library fresh and maintained:
- Fork new products — Add products not yet in our library
- Maintain forks — Keep existing products updated
- Improve products — Fix bugs, enhance features
- Report issues — Flag problems for the community
Why Contribute?
Build Reputation
- Public contributor profile
- Contribution badges
- Community recognition
Early Access
- Beta features
- New products first
- Contributor-only tools
Community Karma
- Help others access premium tools
- Pay forward what you've received
- Shape the GPL ecosystem
Getting Started
Apply for Contributor Access
Go to Dashboard → Become a Contributor and submit your application.
Complete Verification
We review applications for:
- Understanding of GPL
- Technical capability
- Community participation
Access Contributor Tools
Once approved, access the Contributor Dashboard.
Forking Products
What Can Be Forked?
Any GPL-licensed theme or plugin can be forked. This includes:
- Products explicitly licensed under GPL
- Products built on WP (inherently GPL)
- Products with GPL-compatible licenses
Fork Process
Obtain Source
Download the original GPL-licensed product.
Rebrand
- Change product name (respect trademarks)
- Update author information
- Add GrootMade attribution
Trademark Notice
Remove all original trademarks. Use a unique name that doesn't infringe.
Test
- Verify functionality
- Check compatibility
- Run security scan
Submit
Upload via the Contributor Dashboard with:
- Original source URL
- License verification
- Changelog
- Screenshots
Maintaining Forks
Adopt a Product
Existing products needing maintainers are marked "Needs Maintainer."
- Go to Contributor → Available Products
- Find products needing maintainers
- Click Adopt to take ownership
Update Process
When the original product updates:
- Download new version
- Apply rebranding
- Test changes
- Submit update
Automation
Use our tools to streamline:
# CLI tool for forking
grootmade-cli fork --source URL --name "Your Product Name"
# Check for upstream updates
grootmade-cli check-updates --product your-product-slugContribution Guidelines
Quality Standards
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Working | Must function correctly |
| Secure | No malware, no vulnerabilities |
| Complete | All features operational |
| Documented | Clear description and changelog |
Rebranding Requirements
Must Change:
- Product name (avoid trademark conflicts)
- Author/company name
- Support links
- License headers (add attribution)
Must Keep:
- Original functionality
- Original license (GPL)
- Attribution to original authors
Prohibited
- Copyrighted assets (logos, images, fonts)
- Trademarked names
- License-restricted code
- Malware or backdoors
Contributor Levels
| Level | Requirements | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| New | Just starting | Basic contributor tools |
| Active | 5+ contributions | Faster review queue |
| Trusted | 25+ contributions | Direct publish |
| Maintainer | 100+ contributions | Review other submissions |
Recognition
Contributor Profile
Your public profile shows:
- Products contributed
- Products maintained
- Community karma
- Badges earned
Badges
- 🌱 First Contribution
- 🔧 Maintainer (10+ maintained products)
- ⭐ Top Contributor (monthly recognition)
- 🛡️ Security Hero (security fix contributions)
- 🎯 Specialist (domain expertise)
Community
Contributor Forum
Connect with other contributors:
- Share tips and techniques
- Discuss tricky forks
- Coordinate maintenance
Monthly Calls
Optional video calls for contributors:
- Platform updates
- Q&A with team
- Community recognition