# Advice for starting with Discourse development
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869
**Category:** Development
**Created:** [August 9, 2024, 9:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869 "2024-08-09T09:44:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Brett\_Peters](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Brett_Peters)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2024, 9:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869/1 "2024-08-09T09:44:41Z")
Hello to you and please give me a 101 of Discourse for a Dev if you have some spare time.
I am looking at a new project and honestly have no knowlege of thia platform. Vb and XF were my last project for clients but as a sole GNU/Linux user I finally have some tome for my own prpject and Opensource is the only way for me.
Main points of focus would be the custom theme process, hello world add-on example as well as any known helpers
Happy for all replies
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### Author:  [@NateDhaliwal](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NateDhaliwal)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2024, 9:51am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869/2 "2024-08-09T09:51:18Z")
Hi there. If you are new to Discourse, you can check out this guide;
> [@Understanding Discourse for new users](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understanding-discourse-for-new-users/96331):
>
> bookmark This guide covers the fundamental features and basic usage of Discourse for new users, explaining key terms, how to navigate, participate in conversations, and configure notifications. person_raising_hand Required user level: Any Welcome! As a new user of Discourse, we hope you will find this site intuitive and clearly structured. Here’s some guidance to help you get started: Summary This guide will cover: Basic terms used in Discourse Browsing and navigation tips Reading an…
> [@Brett\_Peters](#):
>
> custom theme process
Are you looking at how to make themes and components?
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2024, 9:54am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869/3 "2024-08-09T09:54:41Z")
Hello and welcome @Brett_Peters 🙂
We have some great guides in #Documentation > Developer Guides that might be worth with having a browse of.
I think a lot of people start with these:
- [Beginner's guide to using Discourse Themes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/beginners-guide-to-using-discourse-themes/91966)
- [Developing Discourse Themes & Theme Components](https://meta.discourse.org/t/developer-s-guide-to-discourse-themes/93648)
- [Get started with Theme Creator and the Theme CLI](https://meta.discourse.org/t/beginners-guide-to-using-theme-creator-and-theme-cli-to-start-building-a-discourse-theme/108444)
- [Designer's Guide to getting started with themes in Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/t/designers-guide-to-discourse-themes/152002)
- [Installing a theme or theme component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-do-i-install-a-theme-or-theme-component/63682)
Or if you’re looking for more backend things there’s some plugin guides in there as well.
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### Author:  [@Brett\_Peters](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Brett_Peters)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2024, 9:55am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869/4 "2024-08-09T09:55:34Z")
Yes most defiantly any theming add-on or other components would be great ro get info on. Code base I am also unaware of, Php and CSS ?
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### Author:  [@NateDhaliwal](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NateDhaliwal)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2024, 9:56am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advice-for-starting-with-discourse-development/320869/5 "2024-08-09T09:56:53Z")
Ruby on Rails, Ember.js and PostgreSQL, IIRC.