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Developers

Meshtastic is a large, volunteer-driven open source project spanning device firmware, mobile apps, web clients, libraries, and documentation. If you're wondering how to get involved, this page is the place to start.

How the Project Works​

Meshtastic doesn't currently have a formal roadmap or milestone list. Direction emerges from ongoing conversations among contributors as the project evolves, and most of those conversations happen on Discord. The best way to find out what's needed, what's planned, and where your skills fit is to join the conversation.

There's no secret handshake. Getting started is a simple three-step recipe.

Getting Started​

1. Use Meshtastic​

Get hands-on with the hardware, firmware, and client apps so you understand the practical, real-world flow. Many proposals fall flat because they approach the project from a theoretical view rather than practical experience. Using Meshtastic day to day is the fastest way to understand how the pieces fit together, and to notice the rough edges worth improving.

2. Talk to Us on Discord​

Hop into the #firmware, #android, #apple, #web, or #python channel on Discord before starting significant work. Communication matters as much as code. Discussing an idea early tells you whether it fits the project's direction, whether someone is already working on it, and how to approach it in a way that will be accepted. Engage with the people already working on the project before jumping into a huge effort that may not be what the project needs.

3. Take Small Bites​

Start small to get familiar with the codebase and the people:

  • Review and test open pull requests. This is where we need the most help, and it's one of the best ways to learn the project.
  • Help with existing issues. Each repository has open issues waiting for contributors.
  • Test in-progress features and report what you find.

Small contributions build familiarity with the codebase and trust with the other contributors.

How to Get Your Pull Request Accepted​

A large share of drive-by pull requests fail, despite their technical merits, because of a lack of communication. A few practices make the difference:

  • Talk before you build. Raise your idea on Discord or in a GitHub issue before writing a large change. Unannounced PRs that alter architecture or behavior are difficult to review and often don't align with where the project is headed.
  • Keep pull requests small and focused. A giant PR is hard to review, hard to test, and hard to merge. Several small, well-scoped PRs will land faster than one sweeping change.
  • Ground your proposal in practical use. Changes motivated by real-world experience with Meshtastic carry far more weight than ones based on theory alone.
  • Treat review as a conversation. Respond to feedback, be patient, and expect to iterate. Reviewers are volunteers too.
  • Build credibility by reviewing others' work. Testing and reviewing open PRs is a fast way to earn trust and learn what maintainers look for.

Where to Dig In​

Once you know what you'd like to work on, these sections go deeper:

When in Doubt, Say Hello​

If you're still not sure where to start, just pop into Discord and introduce yourself. We're always excited to welcome new faces.

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