There are several options for contributing Spice Instant Answers, explained below.
You can always find the Instant Answer Documentation here. Also, if you have any questions at any point, feel free to ask on one of our community channels:
- DuckDuckHack mailing list
- Gitter chat
- Do not hesitate to email us directly at [email protected].
If this is your first time contributing to DuckDuckHack, you have two great ways to quickly make your first commit. Although this is the Spice repository, building a Goodie is a great introduction to creating Instant Answers.
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Make a Goodie Cheat Sheet
Cheat sheets are a super-easy way to contribute to the live DuckDuckGo AnswerBar very quickly, by editing a single file. Cheat sheets can be about anything, from Emacs and Vim to Game of Thrones house names or wine pairings.
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Create a simple, complete "Hello World" Instant Answer with our Quick Start Goodie Tutorial
This short tutorial (using the Goodie framework) will lead you through all the parts of building a full-loop Instant Answer. This is a perfect place to start if you have an idea for an original Spice Instant Answer.
Once you're comfortable with the workflow and how Instant Answers work, we're excited to have you create your own original Instant Answer.
1. Choose an idea
Bring your own idea, or check out the ideas forum - especially top voted answer ideas.
2. Plan your implementation
The first step is to research and plan your Instant Answer. Consider the best way to implement your idea, and review the docs and guidelines that apply.
3. Involve us
Before you start coding, let us know your plans. By involving us early we can provide guidance and potentially save you a lot of time and effort. Email us at [email protected] with what idea you're working on and how you're thinking of going about it.
In addition, we'll promptly set up a central Instant Answer page on the community platform so others can know you're working on it and how they can help you.
Another great way to contribute is to improve an existing, live Instant Answer. It's a great way to get further acquainted with Instant Answers, as well as get implementation ideas. (Many contributors report completing their first fix within two hours of forking the repository!)
1. Choose a "low-hanging fruit"
We've made sure to identify these throughout our repositories for new contributors to work on.
2. Dive in
Go ahead and comment on any issues you're interested in helping with. Let us know what you're thinking and if you'd like any help or guidance.
As always, feel free to ask us anything, and don't forget the handy Instant Answer documentation.