OpenVeda Playbook: LibreHealth

Your guide to contributing to a suite of open-source software for healthcare.

1. The "Why": Mission & Impact

• The Mission: LibreHealth is a free and open-source software community dedicated to building healthcare software for humanity. They create a suite of products, including an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, a radiology information system, and more.
• Your Impact: Your code helps build tools used in clinics and hospitals, directly impacting patient care and healthcare logistics.
• Why it's great for your career: Contributing to healthcare IT is a specialized and valuable skill. It shows you can work with complex data models, security requirements, and a mission-critical domain.

2. The "What": Tech Stack

• Core Stack: The projects are diverse, but the main ones use:
  • Backend: PHP
  • Frontend: JavaScript with React.
  • Mobile: Flutter (Dart) for their new mobile initiatives.
• Key Tools: GitHub and a dedicated Discourse forum.

3. The "How": Your Onboarding Journey

3.1: Join the Community

• Primary Channel (Forum): Most communication happens on their Discourse forum.
  • Link: Join the LibreHealth Forums
• Secondary Channel (Chat): For real-time interaction.
  • Link: LibreHealth Chat

3.2: The Setup Guide

• The setup is project-specific. The best place to start is their main "Getting Started" guide.
• Official Guide: LibreHealth Getting Started for Developers

3.3: The Contribution Workflow

• Standard GitHub PR process, but with a strong emphasis on communication in the forums.

4. GSoC History & Focus Areas

• Historical Focus: LibreHealth is a regular GSoC organization. Projects often involve adding new features to their EHR, building out their radiology platform, and developing their new Flutter-based mobile applications.
• What Mentors Look For: A clear interest in healthcare technology. They value contributors who are willing to learn the complex domain of medical records and who communicate their progress clearly and consistently.

5. Key Repositories to Know

• Main GitHub Org: github.com/LibreHealthIO - Explore the different projects here.
• EHR Frontend (React): github.com/LibreHealthIO/lh-ehr-react-ui

6. Find Your First Task Right Now

• The Golden Link: They use a standard label for beginner tasks.
  • Link: "good first issue" across all LibreHealth repos

7. The Unwritten Rules (Mentor Insights)

• Domain Knowledge Matters: Take the time to understand what an "EHR" is and the basics of healthcare workflows. This will make your contributions much more effective.
• Be Patient: Healthcare software is complex and has high standards for quality and security. The review process can be very detailed.
• Communicate on the Forum: Post questions and progress updates on the forum. It's the community's central memory.