---
title: "How to Contribute"
description: "Check the contribution guide for information on how to contribute, request assistance, and the benefits of contributing."
source: https://cloudberry.apache.org/contribute/how-to-contribute
---

# How to Contribute

Apache Cloudberry (Incubating) community welcomes contributions from anyone, new
and experienced! We appreciate your interest in contributing. This
guide will help you get started with the contribution.

## Code of Conduct

Everyone who participates in Apache Cloudberry, either as a user or a
contributor, is obliged to follow our community [Code of
Conduct](https://www.apache.org/foundation/policies/conduct). Every
violation against it will be reviewed and investigated and will result
in a response that is deemed necessary and appropriate to the
circumstances. The moderator team is obligated to maintain
confidentiality regarding the reporter of an incident.

Some behaviors that contribute to creating a positive environment
include:

- Use welcoming and inclusive language.
- Respect differing viewpoints and experiences.
- Accept constructive criticism gracefully.
- Foster what's best for the community.
- Show empathy for community members.

## Find a Way to Contribute

There are many ways to contribute to Apache Cloudberry. Here are
some ways you need to get started. The most common contributions
include code, documentation, and community support.

You can participate by:

- [Contributing code](./code).
- [Improving documentation](./doc).
- Helping out in the Slack channels, see [Slack
  Guide](../community/slack).
- Answering questions on [GitHub
  Discussions](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/discussions/categories/q-a).
- Investigating [GitHub
  issues](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/issues).
- [Reporting a new
  bug](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/issues/new/choose).
- [Sharing ideas for new
  features](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/discussions/new?category=ideas-feature-requests).
- Helping review [Pull
  Requests](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/pulls) or
  [Proposals](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/discussions/categories/proposal).
- Proposing your proposal, see [Proposal Guide](./proposal).
- [Reporting security issues](/community/security).
- Testing code, testing releases.
- Creating educational content (Blog posts, tutorials, videos, etc.)
- Spreading the word about Apache Cloudberry on social media(eg,
  Twitter, LinkedIn).
- ...
- More things to make Apache Cloudberry better.

## Getting Help

Feel free to reach out to us in [Slack `#dev`
channels](../community/slack) or [GitHub
Discussions](https://github.com/apache/cloudberry/discussions) when
your contribution is blocked, especially when making your first
contribution. Don't be shy, we're happy to help.

As the next-generation unified database, Apache Cloudberry cannot
grow without the support from the community. Hope to make our mission
with you!

## Benefits of Contribution

There are many reasons to contribute to Apache Cloudberry and open
source projects in general. Here are some of the benefits of
participating:

- Growing your network. Working with Apache Cloudberry in open
  source can help connect you with people working on similar things. You
  can get help or give help, and you might even make a real-life
  acquaintance!

- Improving your skills. When you work on a Apache Cloudberry issue
  or Pull Request, inevitably you'll learn more about how something
  works in our project; either by asking questions and gathering info or
  by digging deeper into the code yourself. There’s a skill-building
  benefit to contributing to open source projects.

- Becoming an expert. You might start new to a project like Cloudberry
  Database or PostgreSQL, and by building things and opening issues when
  you encounter a new challenge or a bug, you’ll learn a ton over
  time. You could find your knowledge of said project has grown so much
  that you’ve become an expert.

- Speaking at conferences or more community events. With those skills
  you’ve earned yourself working in open source, you can let other
  people hear from you, and build your professional reputation through
  these community activities.

- Getting free swag! By participating in GitHub and other community
  channels, you can become eligible for free swag that the Cloudberry
  Database team offers as a way to say thank you.

There are undoubtedly more benefits than those listed here. Hope you
enjoy your contribution to the Apache Cloudberry community!