GSoD Ideas 2023: Update Frida’s Website Documentation
About Frida
- Version at time of proposal: 16.0.11 (first release 2013)
- License: wxWindows Library Licence
- Supports 9 operating systems, 3 architecture families (Intel, ARM, MIPS)
- Use cases: reverse engineering, mobile app analysis (Android/iOS), software testing, debugging
- Primary scripting language: JavaScript
Problem Statement
The official Frida documentation (https://frida.re/docs/) was written by advanced users and is too terse for new users, generating approximately 10 support requests per week on GitHub Issues.
Current support channels
| Channel | Members |
|---|
| Telegram | 2,720 |
| Discord | 180 (40 online, EU timezone) |
| Libera Chat #frida | ~13 |
| IRC/Freenode #frida | <10, likely inactive |
| GitHub Issues | Misused as help venue |
External documentation (non-official)
Target Audiences
- Power users experienced in adjacent tools, expanding into Frida — documentation should relate to prior knowledge
- Existing Frida users needing quick reference — must be in text form (not screencasts) for easy copy-paste; command prompts should not be selectable
- Beginners willing to learn — need clear setup instructions and a first successful task
- Evaluators / decision-makers — need conceptual overviews to judge feasibility of tasks
Project Scope
In-scope deliverables
- Audit existing documentation; create a friction log for three top use cases:
- Setting up Frida for different operating systems
- Setting up Frida with the Frida Gadget
- Common tasks with Frida
- Updated documentation addressing gaps identified in the friction log
- Quick “cheat sheet” for install and basic usage
- Incorporate feedback from volunteer testers and the wider community
- Work with the release team to keep documentation in sync going forward
- GitHub Issue templates to redirect support questions; templates for bug reports and feature requests
- Triage 1,300 existing GitHub issues; tag support requests for use as documentation input
- Document all asset types in GitHub Releases (e.g., code devkit, gum devkit) — https://github.com/frida/frida/releases
- Integrate https://codeshare.frida.re/ into the official documentation
Out-of-scope
- Detailed documentation for code contributions to Frida
Proposed documentation articles
- Conceptual: “What is Frida?” — analogies using Cheat Engine (memory read/write/inject) and Greasemonkey/Violentmonkey
- Installation guides per OS (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS) with troubleshooting and verification steps
- Android: setup on a rooted phone; injecting Gadget into APK (using tools like apk.sh)
- Desktop: Frida usage on all three major desktop platforms
- GitHub Issues: instructions for better bug reports; redirect support questions
Success Metrics
| Metric | Target |
|---|
| New user questions covered by documentation | 90% |
| GitHub Issues that are support requests | Reduced from ~10/week to ~2/week |
Timeline
| Dates | Action |
|---|
| May | Tech writer orientation |
| June – July | Audit existing documentation; create friction log |
| August – October | Create documentation |
| November | Project completion |
Total duration: 6 months
Budget
| Budget Item | Amount (USD) |
|---|
| Technical Writer | $12,000 |
| Volunteer Stipends (3 × $500) | $1,500 |
| T-shirts for volunteers | $200 |
| Total | $13,700 |
- @simos — committed as primary mentor
- Technical writing candidate already identified