Good first bugs

This page is meant to be a curated list of bugs that are relatively easy for a new MediaWiki coder to fix, or tiny features you could add. These are a good way to start getting familiar with the MediaWiki code base.

Code
The code of MediaWiki, its extensions, and Wikimedia's server configuration is located in Git repositories. Patches have to be submitted to Wikimedia Gerrit for review. See Developer access and Gerrit/Tutorial for more information. In case you have problems with Gerrit you could use the Gerrit Patch Uploader.

Suggested reading
If you choose to work on a bug report that requires writing or changing code, you might want to at least skim these pages first to avoid unnecessary setbacks during the review process:
 * Developer access and Gerrit tutorial for information about how to download our code, test it and start submitting patches
 * Coding conventions and any subpages relevant to your task (PHP, JavaScript, Python, …)
 * Following the Commit message guidelines, especially the Example section at the bottom, will automatically add a notification about your patch to the corresponding report in Bugzilla. Hence there is no need anymore to add a "Please review" comment in the report.
 * Amending a change. Don't create a new Gerrit changeset to fix your previous one!
 * Getting code reviews. Find and add people as potential reviewers of your patch.

Feedback, questions and support

 * You are expected to do some basic research yourself first: Look at the code, try to get some understanding what it is supposed to do, and try to find the probable place(s) where you need to make changes in order to fix the bug.
 * If you have general questions about infrastructure, the software architecture or workflows which are not tied to the specific bug that you want to work on, use generic channels like IRC, mailing lists, or wiki discussion pages. For example, if you have a problem with Gerrit, the Gerrit discussion page could be a good place to ask.
 * If you have a specific question about the bug itself, comment in the corresponding Bugzilla report. "What do I have to do to fix this bug?" is not a good question to start with: The more specific your questions are, the more likely somebody can answer them quickly. If you have no idea at all how to fix the bug, maybe that bug is not (yet) for you - please consider finding an easier one first.
 * When asking, elaborate what you have tried and found out already, so others can help at the right level. Try to be specific - for example, copy and paste your commands and their output (if not too long) instead of paraphrasing in your own words. This avoids misunderstandings.
 * Avoid private email or support requests in our social media channels.
 * Please be patient when seeking input and comments. On IRC, don't ask to ask, just ask: most questions can be answered by other community members too if you ask on an IRC channel. If nobody answers, please ask on the bug report or wiki page related to the problem; don't just drop the question.
 * Learn more at Communication.

Communicate that you work on a bug
You do not need to be set as the assignee in a bug report or announce your plans before you start working on a bug, but it is welcome. At the latest when you are close to creating a patch for the bug, it is good to announce in a comment that you are working on it. Your announcement also helps others do not work on the bug at the same time and duplicate work.

If you stop working on a task you should remove yourself as the assignee of a bug report and reset the assignee to the default assignee, so others know that they can work on the bug report and don't expect you to still work on it.

By communicating early you will get more attention, feedback and help from community members.

Potential bugs to work on
You can find a complete list of bugs to work on in Bugzilla:
 * bugs with the "easy" keyword
 * bugs with the "easy" keyword sorted by most votes
 * '''same without long-commented reports

System messages
System messages often need small corrections to the English text, but the source text can only be changed in the code by developers, contrary to translations; this has grown into a large backlog of usually very easy fixes (which might be as easy as fixing a typo).

Also, many messages are unclear and require better documentation (see Localisation if you're not convinced this is crucial). Missing documentation can also be added by just editing the  subpage of the message on translatewiki.net, like all translations, but may require some study of the code to understand what a message is for: it's therefore optimal to start understanding the code, and very useful for the translators (which don't have such skills).

All the simple issues of this sort are (or should be) listed at the tracking bug 38638 as blockers: pick one and start committing patches!

Some little enhancements to add
should probably go somewhere in the  method in includes/api/ApiBase.php."
 * Add block-options to Special:CentralAuth
 * In the CentralAuth extension (source), figure out how to add the user's block options to the section "Blocked status". Talk with us in the #mediawiki channel on FreeNode IRC.
 * Document all configuration variables (usable in LocalSettings.php)
 * Look at . It's okay to start by just adding one comment.
 * Improve pagination of special page reports
 * Look in the MediaWiki core codebase, in particular the directory and the  file.
 * other message for user without 'editinterface' right
 * look in AbuseFilter.i18n.php, and ask in #mediawiki (see MediaWiki on IRC) to find out where to add a line like:
 * StructureTest::testUnitTestFileNamesEndWithTest should use a dataprovider
 * " should be rewritten to use a   that will give out an array of PHP files under the   directory." This is in mediawiki/core.git / tests / phpunit / structure /.
 * API help should always give parameters' type and default
 * "The indication of type should be relatively easy for someone to pick up; it
 * Improve user feedback in upload errors.

If you have any trouble or questions, please feel free to contact sumanah or Quim Gil or ask for help via IRC.