Choosing a project 

When you come to KDE as a developer, you may already have a favorite project and know how you want to contribute. But it's worth looking over the various projects listed in this chapter, to find out all the ways you may be able to help. And even if you're really only interested in one project, it's useful to know what others are active because your work may interact with them. 

Frameworks

These are general components underlying the applications and other visible parts of KDE. The team is working hard to make the libraries modular, clarify the dependencies, simplify, and increase the quality and stability.

KDE Core Libraries (kdelibs)

Critical functions needed across the KDE platform

Widgets & Classes

Widgets and classes that are not in kdelibs but that are widely useful

D-Bus Web Service Proxy

A project to connect Web Services to the D-Bus notification framework on Linux

kdesu

Tools for gaining superuser privileges on different backends

KDE WebKit

A project integrating the QtWebKit browser engine into the KDE Software Compilation

KioFuse

This inserts KIO(K Input Output) resources (remote, archived, or compressed files) into the root filesystem hierarchy

Nepomuk

Basic desktop operations for annotation, indexing, search, and linking

Network Management

An applet and configuration tool for Solid Networking and KNetworkManager

Oxygen

Artwork for the KDE SC

Solid

The KDE SC hardware library

Telepathy

A communications framework for Instant Messaging, VoIP, and Collaboration

Akonadi

 An extensible cross-desktop storage service for PIM data and meta data

Related projects

Non-central projects that are related to KDE technology in various ways, such as dependencies or build tools

Programs

This is a small cutout of the applications created and maintained by KDE developers.

Amarok

Amarok’s tagline is Rediscover Your Music, and its development is based around this ideology. Amarok’s core features such as the unique context browser, integrated Wikipedia lookup and lyrics download help users to find new music, and to learn more about the music they have.

Digikam

Photo management software

Gwenview

KDE image viewer

K3b

An optical disc writer

KDevelop4

Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for KDE SC

KWin

The KDE Window Manager

Marble

A visually appealing globe program

Okular

A unified document viewer

Rekonq

A lightweight web browser powered by WebKit and KDE SC

System Settings

The System Settings configuration tool.

SuperKaramba

A tool for creating attractive widgets and other interactive elements

Suites

These projects group many related applications. The key concept is that data created in one part of the suite can be easily used by another application in the suite.

KDE Education Project

Educational software for KDE

KDE Finance

Financial applications

KDE Games

Desktop games for KDE

Kdetoys

A set of amusing diversions

KDE Utilities

A variety of tools to run on the desktop

KOffice and Calligra

Office suites based on KDE libraries

PIM

Personal information management tools

Plasma

Programs for the quick and easy creation of widgets, including interactive application launchers, and window and task managers

Platforms

These projects ensure that KDE works on various operating systems. 

KDE on Mac OS X

KDE libraries and applications for Mac OS X

KDE on Windows

KDE libraries and applications for Microsoft Windows

KDE on FreeBSD

KDE libraries and applications on FreeBSD and other BSD versions

Plasma Active

A project for porting KDE technology to mobile devices

Working with the organisation

These projects deal with the people and processes that make KDE possible. 

KDE Release Team

Schedules and coordinates releases

KDE Documentation Project

Creates and maintains KDE documentation

kde.org

Provides information around the *.kde.org websites

KDE Promotion

Promotes KDE and organizes conferences

Partner Program

Supports KDE partner Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)

KDE Usability project

Applies usability principles and practices to the K Desktop Environment

KDE Accessibility project

Builds on Qt features for making interactive environments more accessible to the disabled or others with special needs

KDE BugSquad

Keeps track of incoming bugs in KDE software, and goes through old bugs.

Summer of Code Projects

Google Summer of Code projects related to KDE

English Breakfast Network (EBN)

Provides tools dedicated to KDE Code Quality, including KDE API Documentation Validation, User Documentation Validation, Source Code Checking, etc.

KDE Research

Supports everyone who is interested in contributing to (funded) research projects with(in) the KDE community. 

 If you are still confused which project you want to work with then try hanging out with KDE SC developers on IRC to become familiar with the project.