# Theme component authoring in the about.json file

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/theme-component-authoring-in-the-about-json-file/202925
**Category:** Development
**Created:** [June 29, 2021, 12:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/theme-component-authoring-in-the-about-json-file/202925 "2021-06-29T12:40:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![manuel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/manuel/32/468169_2.png) [@manuel](https://meta.discourse.org/u/manuel)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2021, 12:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/theme-component-authoring-in-the-about-json-file/202925/1 "2021-06-29T12:40:28Z")

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I’ve been modifying a few components now and I tend to ponder how to handle the `authors:` field in about.json. The value will show up in the component’s settings, like this:

![Screenshot from 2021-06-29 13-24-01](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/d/9/d9ae9787fe9c213a0c26e6a310f569cca83169ae.png)

So what to do when I modify an existing component or plugin? When I leave the previous author(s) it can easily look misleading, as if they’d endorse or participate in my modification. But removing it feels improper as well.

Maybe it would be better to change this field to `maintainers:`? And leave it up to the authors how they want to put their copyright credit with the code or the license?