Contributing to netbeans.org

You probably know that NetBeans is an open source project. Open source projects are primarily community driven, although companies may make commercial products from these projects. Open source projects encourage everyone in the community to contribute their knowledge and expertise and, in turn, everyone in the community benefits. For example, when the community contributes enhancement requests or submits bug reports, fixes or enhancements are implemented to improve the tools, and everyone benefits. Because NetBeans is open source, you can influence what happens to the IDE and the direction for NetBeans' future growth

Contributing code is not the only way to help NetBeans! Read our list below for other ways you can help the community.

Community Support, Promotion

• Participate on Mailing Lists
  There are several mailing lists and newsgroups at netbeans.org, where people using the software can benefit from each others' expertise. To really be useful, community lists need your input! Please don't be afraid to post - help others when you can!
• Link to NetBeans
  Add a small NetBeans icon to your site or your RCP application's About screen, and link to netbeans.org. If you're interested, you can also sign up for the Move the Needle programme, to track how many visitors you are sending this way.
• Promote NetBeans!
  If you're a NetBeans user, speak out! There's a lot of competition out there, and many developers haven't heard of NetBeans, or worse, have heard of it but have misconceptions, or haven't heard about recent improvements. Help spread the word - talk about NetBeans strengths, and weaknesses, on blogs, industry mailing lists, print magazines and forums. You found (or wrote) a NetBeans-related article or review? We'd love to read it!

Submit Content, Translations

• Contribute Website Content
  You figured out how to solve a tricky use-case? New content or updates to existing content are always welcome! Articles like FAQs and HOWTOs are very very helpful, as are Flash movies. See the guidelines for contributing tutorials for more info. Use this free webspace for your contributed demos.
• Translations, Localisations
  Are you interested in efforts to localise web site content, or the IDE itself, in your native language? We and your fellowmen would appreciate your help! See the Localisation Quick Start page for info. Some community members already created forums in various languages, and now help others get started with Java and NetBeans.
• Edit the Newsletter, Submit Stories for The Edge
  The weekly NetBeans Newsletter is put together by volunteers involved in NetBeans - if you're following current events on the mailing lists you could edit a newsletter! The monthly Edge newsletter is always looking for contributing authors to write an interview, an article, partner spotlights ... if you'd like to submit a story, please get in touch. Also if you heard of an event or conference in your area where NetBeans is used, drop us a note and we'll advertise it in our event calendar.

Submit Bug Reports, Write Code

• File a Bug Report
  Bug reports are very helpful to developers, and a great way to contribute to the project! Remember to take a little time when filing a bug report - make sure you can reproduce the problem, and be very explicit in your description.
• File an Enhancement Request
  If there's something you'd like to see in the IDE and don't, or something you can imagine improving, let us know! Enhancement requests should be filed in the issue tracking system, the same as for bugs.
• Contributing Code and Plugin Modules
  As mentioned above, NetBeans is an open-source project - all of the source code is available, and if there's a feature you'd like to see, or a bug you'd like to see fixed, you have the power to make that happen. You can learn more about developing plugin modules, contributing patches and contributing plugin modules. Publish your plugin modules in the Plugin Portal and get feedback from your fellow community members!