Contributing to Zen

May 10, 2026 ยท View on GitHub

Note

Before proceeding, please read our Code of Conduct, including the section on AI use.

Bug Reports

Zen provides a template that you can use to file a detailed bug report. Please follow the instructions in the template and provide as much information as possible. We want to help, but we can only do so if we have sufficient context to work with.

Feature Requests

Feature requests are welcome. Please use the template, which will guide you through the information we need to evaluate your request. Take a moment to consider whether your idea aligns with the scope and goals of Zen. Please note that it's up to you to make a compelling case for your proposed feature.

Translations

We welcome contributions to translations! If you'd like to add a new language or improve an existing one, please follow the localization guide. It will walk you through how to add or update translations in Zen.

Technical Feedback

If you have relevant engineering expertise, consider looking through Feature requests and ideas. We appreciate informed feedback, including implementation suggestions and assistance with planning.

Pull Requests

Important

Please ask first before starting any significant work. Otherwise, you risk spending time on work that may not be accepted into the project. We do so for two reasons:

  1. Zen is an application with serious security implications. Any change, however small, needs to be carefully considered.
  2. Coordinating efforts helps avoid duplicate work and conflicts with future project plans.

Here are a few ways to get involved:

  • Look for issues labeled good-first-issue or contributor-friendly. If you'd like to work on one, explicitly ask to be assigned and briefly describe your plan. This helps us avoid duplicate efforts and ensures you don't spend time working on something that may not be accepted into the project.
  • If you have an idea for a new feature or bug fix, open a Discussion to discuss it first. Clearly state your intention to work on it and provide a short summary of how you plan to approach the problem. This helps us understand your intentions and offer guidance if needed. Please wait for feedback before you begin development.

If you plan to contribute to development, start by reading the Getting Started section of the internal documentation. It will help you set up your environment and get familiar with the project.