Open Source Your App

Overview

Beyond publishing to the Omi app store, you can open-source your app by contributing it to the BasedHardware/omi repository. This gives your app maximum visibility, lets other developers learn from and build on your work, and contributes to the Omi ecosystem.

Community Visibility

Your app is discoverable by thousands of Omi developers

Contribution Rewards

Significant contributions earn free DevKit hardware

Repository Structure

Open-source apps live in the plugins/ directory:

omi/
├── plugins/
│   ├── your-app-name/
│   │   ├── README.md          # Required: documentation
│   │   ├── requirements.txt   # Python dependencies
│   │   ├── main.py            # Entry point
│   │   ├── .env.example       # Environment variable template
│   │   └── ...                # Your app code

Each app should be a self-contained directory with everything needed to run it independently.

Step-by-Step Guide

Fork the Repository

Go to github.com/BasedHardware/omi and click Fork to create your own copy.

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/omi.git
cd omi

Create Your App Directory

Create a new folder under plugins/ with a descriptive name:

mkdir plugins/your-app-name
cd plugins/your-app-name

Use lowercase, hyphens for spaces (e.g., meeting-summarizer, crm-sync, daily-journal).

Add Your App Code

Structure your app with these files at minimum:

File	Required	Description
`README.md`	✅	Documentation (see template below)
`main.py`	✅	App entry point
`requirements.txt`	✅	Python dependencies
`.env.example`	✅	Environment variable template (no secrets!)
`.gitignore`	Recommended	Ignore `.env`, `__pycache__/`, etc.

Never commit secrets, API keys, or credentials. Use .env.example with placeholder values and add .env to .gitignore.

Write a Great README

Your README is the first thing developers see. Include:

# Your App Name

Brief description of what your app does.

## Features
- Feature 1
- Feature 2

## How It Works
Explain the architecture and how it integrates with Omi.

## Setup

### Prerequisites
- Python 3.8+
- Any external service accounts needed

### Installation
1. Clone the repo
2. `pip install -r requirements.txt`
3. Copy `.env.example` to `.env` and fill in your values
4. Run `python main.py` or `fastapi run`

### Environment Variables
| Variable | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `API_KEY` | Your API key for X service |

## Registering with Omi
Explain how to register the app (webhook URLs, etc.)

## Usage
How users interact with the app once it's running.

## License
MIT

Test Thoroughly

Before submitting, make sure:

App runs from a clean install following your README
All environment variables are documented in .env.example
No hardcoded secrets or API keys in the code
Webhooks handle errors gracefully
Code is clean and reasonably commented

Create a Branch and Commit

git checkout -b add-your-app-name
git add plugins/your-app-name/
git commit -m "feat: add your-app-name plugin"

Open a Pull Request

Push your branch and open a PR against main:

git push origin add-your-app-name

Then go to GitHub and create a Pull Request with:

Title: feat: add [your-app-name] plugin
Description: What the app does, how to use it, and any relevant context
Screenshots/demo (if applicable)

PR Review Checklist

Our team will review your PR against these criteria:

Code Quality

Clean, readable code
No unnecessary dependencies
Proper error handling
No hardcoded secrets or credentials

Documentation

Complete README with setup instructions
.env.example with all required variables
Clear explanation of what the app does

Self-Contained

App runs independently from its directory
All dependencies listed in requirements.txt
No modifications to core Omi code

Community Guidelines

Respects user privacy
No harmful or inappropriate content
Provides genuine value to users

Tips for a Successful Contribution

Start Simple

A well-documented simple app is better than a complex, undocumented one

Show, Don't Tell

Include screenshots, GIFs, or a demo video in your README

Be Responsive

Respond to review feedback quickly to get your PR merged faster

Follow Existing Patterns

Look at existing apps in plugins/ for style and structure inspiration

Contribution Rewards

Significant open-source contributions earn rewards:

Contributions	Reward
1 merged PR	Free DevKit device (necklace or glasses)
2+ merged PRs	Additional DevKit + community recognition

See the full Contribution Guide for details on rewards and bounties.

Publish to App Store

Submit your app to the Omi app store (no code required)

Building Apps

Learn how to build Omi apps from scratch

Contribution Guide

General contribution guidelines and rewards

Integration Apps

Build webhook-based integrations

Getting Started

Examples

Open Source Your App

Overview

Community Visibility

Contribution Rewards

Repository Structure

Step-by-Step Guide

PR Review Checklist

Tips for a Successful Contribution

Start Simple

Show, Don't Tell

Be Responsive

Follow Existing Patterns

Contribution Rewards

Publish to App Store

Building Apps

Contribution Guide

Integration Apps

​Overview

Community Visibility

Contribution Rewards

​Repository Structure

​Step-by-Step Guide

​PR Review Checklist

​Tips for a Successful Contribution

Start Simple

Show, Don't Tell

Be Responsive

Follow Existing Patterns

​Contribution Rewards

​Related Documentation

Publish to App Store

Building Apps

Contribution Guide

Integration Apps

Overview

Repository Structure

Step-by-Step Guide

PR Review Checklist

Tips for a Successful Contribution

Contribution Rewards

Related Documentation