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Welcome, Contributors!

Your interest in contributing to Open WebUI is greatly appreciated. This guide will help you understand the process and ensure your contributions enhance the project effectively.

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Code of Conduct

By participating in this project, you agree to uphold our Code of Conduct.

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Key Principles

  • Zero Tolerance Policy: Unacceptable behavior results in immediate enforcement
  • Respect & Professionalism: Treat all contributors with courtesy
  • No Entitlement: Contributors volunteer their time freely
  • Constructive Feedback: Focus on improvement, not criticism
  • Report Violations: Contact hello@openwebui.com

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Understanding Open WebUI vs Ollama

It’s crucial to distinguish between these projects:
  • Open WebUI: Web interface for chat interactions
  • Ollama: Underlying LLM runtime technology
If your issue pertains to core Ollama functionality, please direct it to the Ollama repository. Open WebUI focuses exclusively on the web interface.

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Before Contributing

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Check Documentation

  1. Review official documentation
  2. Search existing issues
  3. Check discussions
  4. Join Discord community for questions

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Scope of Support

We Support:
  • Open WebUI interface bugs and features
  • Docker deployment issues specific to Open WebUI
  • Integration with LLM providers
  • Documentation improvements
Outside Our Scope:
  • General Docker/Linux/networking tutorials
  • Ollama core functionality
  • Third-party reverse proxy configurations
  • Basic programming language questions
For Docker basics, refer to official Docker documentation.

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Reporting Issues

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Before Opening an Issue

  1. Search existing issues for duplicates
  2. Verify the issue in the latest version
  3. Gather all relevant information

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Issue Requirements

Template Compliance: Failure to follow the issue template will result in your issue being closed without consideration. Required Information:
  • Open WebUI version
  • Deployment method (Docker, pip, etc.)
  • Operating system and version
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Expected vs actual behavior
  • Relevant logs or error messages
  • Screenshots (if UI-related)

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Security Vulnerabilities

Do NOT report security vulnerabilities via Issues. Use GitHub Security Reporting instead.

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Contributing Code

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Development Setup

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Clone your fork locally
  3. Set up the development environment (see Local Setup)
  4. Create a feature branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

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Pull Request Process

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1. Discuss First

Before writing code:
  • Open a discussion for new features
  • Comment on existing issues you plan to work on
  • Get feedback on your approach

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2. Code Standards

Frontend (TypeScript/Svelte):
  • Follow existing code style
  • Use TypeScript for type safety
  • Keep components focused and reusable
  • Run linter: npm run lint
  • Format code: npm run format
Backend (Python):
  • Follow PEP 8 style guide
  • Use type hints where applicable
  • Write docstrings for functions/classes
  • Run linter: pylint backend/
  • Format with Black: black . --exclude ".venv/|/venv/"

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3. Testing

  • Add tests for new features
  • Ensure existing tests pass
  • Test frontend: npm run test:frontend
  • Manual testing in development environment

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4. Documentation

  • Update relevant documentation
  • Add JSDoc/docstrings to new code
  • Update README if needed
  • Submit documentation PRs to Docs Repository

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5. Commit Messages

Write clear, descriptive commit messages: 
feat: add support for custom embedding models

- Implement custom embedding API integration
- Add configuration options for embedding engines
- Update documentation

Fixes #1234
Format:
  • feat: - New feature
  • fix: - Bug fix
  • docs: - Documentation changes
  • refactor: - Code refactoring
  • test: - Adding tests
  • chore: - Maintenance tasks

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6. Pull Request Template

Complete the PR checklist:
  • I have read the Contributing Guidelines
  • I have discussed my changes in an issue or discussion
  • My code follows the project’s code style
  • I have added tests that prove my fix/feature works
  • I have updated the documentation accordingly
  • All new and existing tests pass
  • I have checked my code for security vulnerabilities

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7. Timely Completion

Complete your PR in a reasonable timeframe. Open WebUI moves fast - PRs that stall for too long may be closed to keep the project moving forward. You can open as a Draft PR while still working on it.

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PR Review Process

  1. Maintainers review your PR
  2. Address feedback and requested changes
  3. Once approved, a maintainer will merge
  4. Your contribution is now part of Open WebUI!

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Contributing Documentation

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Documentation Repository

Submit documentation improvements to the Docs Repository.

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What We Need

  • Setup and installation guides
  • Troubleshooting documentation
  • Feature tutorials
  • API usage examples
  • Architecture explanations
  • Video tutorials and guides

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Documentation Standards

  • Write clearly and concisely
  • Use proper formatting (Markdown/MDX)
  • Include code examples where relevant
  • Add screenshots for UI features
  • Test all commands and code snippets

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Translations and Internationalization

Help make Open WebUI available worldwide!

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Adding a New Language

  1. Navigate to src/lib/i18n/locales
  2. Create a directory with the ISO 639 language code (e.g., es-ES for Spanish)
  3. Copy files from en-US directory
  4. Translate the JSON values (preserve structure)
  5. Add the language to src/lib/i18n/locales/languages.json

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Translation Guidelines

  • Submit translations in standalone PRs (not with features/fixes)
  • Preserve JSON structure and keys
  • Use native speakers when possible
  • Consider cultural context
  • Test translations in the UI

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Community Involvement

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Ways to Help

  • Answer questions in Discord
  • Help triage issues
  • Review pull requests
  • Share your Open WebUI setup and use cases
  • Create tutorials and blog posts
  • Spread the word about Open WebUI

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Discord Community

Join our Discord server to:
  • Get help with development
  • Discuss ideas and features
  • Connect with other contributors
  • Stay updated on project news

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Best Practices

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Keep PRs Focused

  • One feature or fix per PR
  • Don’t combine unrelated changes
  • Keep changes minimal and targeted

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Communication

  • Be responsive to feedback
  • Ask questions when unclear
  • Update the issue/PR if your plans change
  • Be patient - maintainers are volunteers

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Quality Over Quantity

  • Well-tested, documented code is better than rushed features
  • Think about edge cases
  • Consider backward compatibility
  • Optimize for maintainability

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Resources

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Development Resources

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External Documentation

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License

By contributing to Open WebUI, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the project’s license. See LICENSE for details.

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Thank You!

Your contributions, big or small, make a significant impact on Open WebUI. We’re excited to see what you bring to the project! Together, let’s create an even more powerful tool for the community. 🌟

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Questions?

Still have questions? We’re here to help!