---
title: 'Getting Started with Open Authoring'
url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring'
markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md'
date: '2026-10-05'
description: "Open authoring closes the loop between publishing content openly and actively inviting others to improve it. The goal isn't just making content readable – it's making it editable. The Git Sync Link This site's theme can add a link to each page that connects visitors directly to its source Markdown …"
taxonomy:
  archives_month:
    - oct_2026
  archives_year:
    - '2026'
---

Section 3

# Getting Started with Open Authoring

 Learning Objectives

- Set up the Git Sync link to invite reader contributions
- Compare how GitHub, Codeberg and GitLab handle proposed changes
- Describe the fork-and-propose workflow for GitHub visitors

Open authoring closes the loop between publishing content openly and actively inviting others to improve it. The goal isn't just making content readable – it's making it editable.

## The Git Sync Link

This site's theme can add a link to each page that connects visitors directly to its source Markdown file in your Git repository. In the Admin Panel, go to **Themes → My Theme → Git Sync Link** (or the settings of the theme your site uses), set the type to **View/Edit Page in Git Repository**, and choose where the link appears (the menu, the footer or the page).

A single link serves two audiences:

- **Contributors with repository access** can edit the file directly
- **Everyone else** sees the file in the repository viewer, where they can fork it and propose changes

## Proposing Changes on Different Platforms

| Platform | Visitors without repository access |
|---|---|
| GitHub | Sign in, then select the edit (pencil) button – GitHub forks the repository and guides them through opening a pull request |
| Codeberg | Sign in, fork the repository, then open a pull request |
| GitLab | Sign in, fork the repository, then open a merge request |

GitHub handles visitors without repository access most smoothly, making it well suited for open authoring workflows.

## Inviting Contributions

The simplest invitation is a single sentence at the top of your reader home page:

> Found an error or want to suggest an improvement? Use the link on any page to view the source and propose a change.

Readers who are comfortable with GitHub can open a pull request. Those who aren't can email you the suggested change. Either way, the source file is visible and accessible.

This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

- Open Education
- [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education)
- [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design)
- [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring)
- [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions)
- [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform)
- [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader)

- Publishing with This Site
- [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide)

---

## Navigation

- Parent: [Open Education Essentials](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/index.md)
- Previous: [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md)
- Next: [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide.md)
- Children:
  - [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions.md)
  - [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform.md)
  - [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader.md)