Adopting abandoned extensions

I’ve found an extension I would care to use, but it hasn’t been updated in two years and no longer works. How may I adopt the package and bring it up to date for the existing userbase?

Usually, developers fork the extension into a new extension.
If the code is copied over, it is better to contact the previous developer and ask for permission.
If the code is written from scratch, then there is usually no need for asking.

There are occasions that the old developer agrees to add a new developer to the existing addon. That has to be discussed with the old developer.

Thanks erosman,

In my particular case I only see one option available on the owner’s profile page: to “report” the account. Is this the method get their attention?

In your particular case it seems that you want to fork DA Ghost. Note that on the right you can usually see under what license the addon was published.

In your case it is a “custom license”, but in fact the link just links to the MPL 1.1. So when you know this you do not have to contact the author, but you just have to keep to the license terms. If you do not know what this license allows or disallows you may start reading here.

Thank you for the instructions. I’ve forked the existing addon and put the revised source under MPL-1.1.

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