Once you've started contributing to the core code of WordPress, helping with tickets in trac. and carefully crafting patches, you'll soon start to wonder about the process by which code makes its way into the next WordPress release.

The quick answer is that code makes it into WordPress when one of the team of core developers adds it and no sooner. The developers are busy people, and often with different priorities and different views of WordPress to your own. This can make the process seem like a long and secret one.

How you can help the process

• Your code won't go far without a ticket in trac. Create one.
• Clearly define, explain and demonstrate your problem or feature request.
• Carefully consider, and take into account advice and feedback given on trac.
• Write easily understandable, documented code.
• Make sure any input/output is properly validated/sanitized.
• Consider writing a plugin instead.
• Appropriate tags in trac help attract appropriate attention.
• Getting community support for a patch helps bring it to the lead developers' attention. The Ideas forum is a good place to start. You might also bring up your patch in IRC.
• Work with and learn from the WordPress community.

Finally, don't be disheartened if your code is rejected. Even though WordPress has a strong community, the core developers have the final word in the direction of WordPress.

Other References

• Reporting_Bugs
• November 2007 wp-hackers "How does code make it into core?"
• WP On-going Development Blog
• The story of getting a patch committed