contributor

A contributor is a person who adds value to a project or organization by providing resources, knowledge, or effort. Contributions can be voluntary or professional and may occur in many domains, including software development, research, journalism, education, and online communities. The term is often used to describe someone who is not the primary author or maintainer but who helps advance the work.

In software development and open source, contributors submit code changes, report bugs, write documentation, create tests, or design features. Contributions are typically coordinated through version control systems and a workflow that includes issues, pull requests, code review, and licensing or attribution requirements. Maintainers oversee integration and product direction.

In other settings, contributors may provide data, translations, editorial input, peer review, or content creation. In collaborative encyclopedias and wikis, editors who add or improve articles are described as contributors; in crowdsourcing, participants classify data or perform tasks that support larger research or services.

Recognition varies by project. Some use author credits, changeset histories, or acknowledgments; others rely on contributor licenses or governance structures. The role can be formal or informal, and contributions are subject to guidelines, quality control, and moderation. Effective projects encourage diverse participation while managing conflicts of interest and ensuring the integrity of the work.