Introduction and guidance on getting started with Rocket.Chat contributions

[nitesh-vashist]

Hi everyone,

My name is Nitesh, and I’m a computer science undergraduate interested in contributing to Rocket.Chat for GSoC'26. I have experience with web development, particularly using JavaScript, React, and Node.js, and I’m keen to start contributing to an open-source project with an active community.
Can anyone guide me on where to start, like which repository would be most suitable for a first contribution, and any beginner-friendly issues or tasks that would be a good starting point.
Your help is much appriciated.

[masonearl]

Welcome Nitesh! Great choice picking Rocket.Chat for GSoC.

Where to Start

1. Main repo - Rocket.Chat/Rocket.Chat is the core application (Meteor + React + TypeScript).

2. Mobile apps - If you prefer React Native: Rocket.Chat.ReactNative

3. Good first issues - Filter by good first issue or hacktoberfest labels.

My Recommendations

1. Set up locally first - Follow their development guide. Getting it running teaches you the architecture.

2. Start with UI/UX fixes - Since you know React, look for frontend issues. They're often simpler and more visible.

3. Join their community - They have an open server at open.rocket.chat. Introduce yourself in the GSoC channel.

Tool Tip

For navigating large React/TypeScript codebases, try Cursor IDE. It's VS Code with AI - you can ask it "how does the message sending flow work?" and it'll search and explain the codebase.

Beginner-Friendly Issues

Look for issues labeled:

• good first issue
• easy
• documentation

Good luck with your contributions!