Step 5 Contribution On P5.js Website — My fourth Translation Task

Unlike my previous contributions, where I proactively identified translation gaps and created an issue, this task was directly assigned through an issue opened by the maintainers. The issue emphasised that P5.js’s Code of Conduct was only available in English, while other supported languages, including Chinese (zh-Hans), lacked a translated version. Contributors were encouraged to comment on the issue to express their interest in translating a specific language, and a maintainer would assign the task to them to prevent duplication of effort (Fig 1). I commented on the issue to confirm whether I could undertake this Chinese translation task. After receiving confirmation from the maintainer, I was officially assigned to translate the Code of Conduct into Chinese (Fig 2). Having already gained experience from my previous contributions, I was familiar with the translation workflow, which enabled me to efficiently set up my workspace and begin my fourth translation task.

With my prior translation experience, I was already familiar with the structured workflow for contributing to the P5.js website. Following the same process, I navigated to the ‘en’ folder and located the English version of the ‘Code of Conduct.mdx’ file. To maintain the correct file structure (Fig 3), I copied the original file and placed it in the ‘zh(Hans)’ folder, which is designated for Chinese translations. Once the setup was complete, I commenced the translation process, ensuring that the translated text accurately conveyed the original meaning while maintaining clarity and readability. Given that the Code of Conduct is an essential document that defines community guidelines and expectations for behaviour, I paid close attention to the wording and tone, ensuring that the translated version was both precise and culturally appropriate for Chinese-speaking contributors (Fig 4).

After completing the translation of the Code of Conduct, I followed the standard contribution workflow by creating a new branch named translation-code-of-conduct-zh. I then committed my changes and pushed the translated file to my repository before submitting a Pull Request (PR) to the main P5.js repository. To align with the repository’s contribution process, I ensured that my PR was correctly linked to the relevant issue and provided a clear summary of my translation work. With the submission complete, my contribution entered the review phase (Fig 5), where maintainers and community members would assess the translation before merging it into the main repository (Fig 6).

My Fourth Translation Contribution link

https://github.com/processing/p5.js-website/pull/720

Reflection:

Contributing to FreeCodeCamp and P5.js has deepened my appreciation for the significance of non-code contributions, especially in enhancing accessibility for users who might otherwise find it challenging to engage with these projects. While coding contributions often receive the most attention, aspects such as UI design, documentation, and translation equally play a crucial role in ensuring that open-source tools and educational resources are genuinely inclusive and accessible to a global audience.

One key takeaway from this experience is that accessibility is often overlooked in open-source development. Many open-source projects focus on adding features and fixing bugs; however, without proper documentation and multilingual support, these tools remain inaccessible to non-English speakers or beginners unfamiliar with the technical jargon. By translating documentation, I help to bridge this gap, ensuring that learners, artists, and developers who do not primarily read English can still fully engage with these valuable resources. This aligns with my original goal of supporting open education and creative coding, making programming knowledge more accessible to diverse communities.

This experience also connects directly to what we discussed in class about contributing beyond the code. Open-source contributions extend far beyond coding tasks; activities such as translating documentation, enhancing UI/UX design, moderating discussions, and writing tutorials all contribute to the growth and sustainability of a project. Without these efforts, even the most well-developed software can be challenging to use or inaccessible to many users.

Furthermore, my contributions to FreeCodeCamp and P5.js exemplified two distinct approaches to accessibility and community engagement. FreeCodeCamp’s AI-assisted translation system prioritises efficiency, enabling rapid content updates while still ensuring human review for accuracy. In contrast, P5.js’s fully manual translation process guarantees high-quality, contextually accurate translations, albeit requiring more effort from contributors. Both models demonstrate that accessibility necessitates a balance between efficiency and quality, and as a contributor, I had to adapt to varied structures and workflows to maximise my impact.

Through this experience, I realised that accessibility should not be an afterthought in open-source projects. Instead, it ought to be an integral part of development and community engagement. By participating in these contributions, I have witnessed firsthand how non-code contributions directly impact users and help foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment. This reinforces my belief that open-source is not merely about technology—it’s about people, learning, and collaboration.