How to Contribute
There are many ways to contribute to Appmaker. We're looking for people with interest and talent to help us build the future of the mobile web.
Since Appmaker is being launched as a part of Mozilla's Maker Party, contributors are encouraged to throw Appmaker-themed events and parties. Each of the topic areas below have an activity or party suggestion. If you decide to throw an Appmaker-themed event, let us and other people know by registering on https://events.webmaker.org/.
Is there something we missed? No need to restrict yourself! Contact the [email protected] mailing list to tell us what you want to do. We're happy to hear about how people use Appmaker and give feedback where it's wanted.
We're always looking to show people new ways to interact with Appmaker. Our user community can show us how to best interact with Appmaker as a first-time user, or as someone who will use it again and again.
Does your app do something impressive, new, or hilarious? We want to hear about it! Save and publish your work, and notify the team via the [email protected] mailing list. We'll get in touch with you to see if your app can be hosted as one of our starter apps so other people can build off your work as their entry point into Appmaker.
Some of the best ideas for apps come out of creative thinking with simple pen, paper, and friends -- no computer or mobile device required! Using the Mobile Design Ideation Kit, discuss problems you can solve, create solutions, and prototype them on paper. Once you're done, photograph, blog, and announce on the [email protected] mailing list! Your sketches and ideas are great inspiration for the rest of the community.
Bricks are the cornerstone of Appmaker functionality, and there are plenty of available for users to start exploring. But, Appmaker will only become more useful to a wider audience if skilled community members contribute Bricks with better, faster, cooler functionality.
Try the Component Contribution Workshop which will guide you through the steps to get started.
For reference, the How Components are Built wiki has lots of information about the structure of Bricks. When in doubt, contact the [email protected] mailing list to talk to the development team and community.
Of course, if you and your friends, your colleagues, your classmates, or your community members have the skills and the ideas, throw a Brick-building party! Start with some pen and paper to get your ideas in place. Discuss them, and build Bricks together! When you're done, let us know about the results on the [email protected] mailing list!
Appmaker is the first incarnation of Mozilla's attempt to deliver a creative, web-driven experience for mobile devices. We can't be effective in improving Appmaker, or building mobile authoring tools without the help of our community and the wider population of mobile device users (even prospective ones). If you want to learn more about what Mozilla will be doing in the near future with mobile content creation, check out this informational Mobile Opportunity page.
For now, we're asking people to give us information about how they use their phones, and how they might create or solve problems with it. First, try this survey for yourself.
Are there people in your home or community who would be able to share their own, potentially creative or influential perspective? We want to hear what they think too. Try interviewing them using the same survey.
To make Appmaker an enjoyable, productive experience, we need constant feedback from users.
Try Appmaker! Kick the tires! Break stuff! We want to know what happens. Tell us about the experience you had when you first saw Appmaker, and as your continued to use it by filling out this questionnaire. Of course, when things go seriously wrong, tell us about it on the [email protected] mailing list.
Using the same form, invite others to try using Appmaker and give their own feedback.
Just as Appmaker changes in response to user feedback, so do our feedback-gathering techniques! Be sure to pay attention to the [email protected] mailing list for future updates.
Like the rest of Webmaker, Appmaker is localized on the Transifex platform. If you're new to Webmaker localization, check out this tutorial to get started.
If you, your friends, or your community are interested in localization in groups, you can even throw a localization party.