---
{"title": "How to run request software you can inspect and modify", "description": "Check code permissions, choose where request software will run, and plan how to review changes before letting others use it.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-run-request-software-they-can-inspect-and-modify-for-open-source-self-hosting-contributors/", "date": "2026-11-13"}
---
Check code permissions, choose where request software will run, and plan how to review changes before letting others use it.

Askarr's project file marks its code as private, so check its terms before you read or change it. [^1]

| Option | Action | Evidence to check |
|---|---|---|
| Run an existing project | Follow the chosen project's instructions for running a trial. | Check code access, licence permissions, update instructions, and recovery guidance. |
| Adapt an existing project | Record a permitted change and check the request process afterward. | Check permission to modify and share changes, plus how future updates affect edits. |
| Askarr | Request a movie or show on Askarr, and existing Radarr and Sonarr add it. [^1] | Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [^1] |

## What you need before you start

Write down what inspect and modify means for the intended request process. Decide whether the goal is to read the code, change the request screen, change who can approve titles, or maintain a separate version. Use those requirements when checking candidates, rather than treating visible code as proof that every intended use is permitted.

Prepare a place to run a trial without affecting the request process people already use. Gather the project's installation instructions, licence, update instructions, and guidance for saving its settings. Check what equipment and other software those instructions require before choosing a project.

Decide who will maintain the running copy and review future changes. That person needs a way to record edits, keep a recoverable copy of settings, and understand what an update will replace. Choose somewhere to keep maintenance notes that another person could follow.

Choose where people will send requests. Keep the request rules simple, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows. Decide who will review requests before anything is added.

## Step by step

1. Write a short acceptance checklist. Include access to the code, permission to make the intended changes, instructions for running it, and a way to preserve those changes through updates. Separate requirements from preferences so an attractive request screen does not distract from the reason for choosing the software.

2. Read the licence before spending time on installation. Check permission to run, change, and share the software in the intended way. If the wording is unclear, resolve that question before depending on the project. Keep the licence with the copy being evaluated so its terms remain available during later work.

3. Follow the project's instructions to create a trial copy. Record the source and version being used, along with any settings changed during setup. Keep passwords and other private details out of notes intended for sharing. Stop and investigate instructions that do not match the available equipment or software.

4. Trace an ordinary request through the trial. Look for the screen where a title is submitted, the place where any review happens, and the information shown afterward. Check the project's documentation and code together. Write down unanswered questions instead of assuming that a visible button proves the whole process works.

5. Make a small change connected to the actual goal, such as revising explanatory text where the project's terms permit it. Record what changed and why. Follow the project's checks, then confirm that the request process still behaves as intended. Keep the original version available for comparison and recovery.

6. Rehearse maintenance before inviting other people. Save the trial's settings using the project's instructions, check how to restore them, and review how an update interacts with local edits. Write a short note for viewers explaining who can request, what titles are accepted, and how they will hear about progress. Share the request location only after those checks are complete.

## Tools that can do it

No source facts about rival tools were provided, so no named rival can be verified here as a candidate for inspecting and changing code. Use the routes below to guide a shortlist, then check each project's own terms and instructions before choosing it.

**Run an existing project:** Look for accessible code, clear permission for the intended use, and instructions that match the available equipment. Read the parts relevant to submitting and reviewing requests before committing to ongoing maintenance. Check how changes are recorded and how updates are applied.

**Adapt an existing project:** Choose this route only after confirming permission to make the intended changes. Define the change narrowly, keep a record of edits, and check the work against future updates. Ask whether maintaining that difference will remain practical when the original project changes.

Treat these as evaluation routes, not verified recommendations for unnamed software. A candidate should earn a place on the shortlist through evidence about its code, terms, and operation. Keep unanswered questions visible rather than filling them with assumptions.

## Askarr

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Askarr's project file marks its code as private, so check its terms before you read or change it. [^1]

Askarr can be used by requesting a movie or show on Askarr, and the owner's own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [^1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up requests from it. [^1] Askarr never connects to Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1]

With reports sent back from Radarr and Sonarr, the Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [^1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. [^1]

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [^1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [^1]

## Things to check before you choose

Can the project's code be read before committing to it? Do its terms permit the specific changes planned? Can a changed copy be run and maintained under those terms? Resolve those questions using the project's licence and documentation.

Check how each candidate handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requests move into the library workflow. Also check who can submit requests, what information accounts require, and what access must be granted to other software. Keep those questions separate from whether the code is available.

Check how you can save and restore settings and request records. Check whether your own edits must be redone after an update, and whether the upkeep instructions are clear to the person who will do them. Choose only after the essential requirements have clear answers.

## Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid treating permission to read code as permission to do anything with it. Check the terms for the intended changes and any planned sharing. Keep a copy of those terms with your project notes so you can check them again when the project changes.

Avoid changing the running request process before testing the change on a separate copy. Keep the original copy, write down your edits, and check that a full request still works after a change. A screen that looks right does not prove that requests still get submitted and approved.

Avoid choosing software without deciding who will maintain it. Decide who handles updates, saved settings, and checking your own edits. Write down enough detail that someone else could keep it running without asking you what you did during setup.

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Friends and family need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added. When the request process changes, review your instructions and remove any wording that no longer matches it.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Askarr code be inspected and modified?

Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [^1] Before you pick software to change, confirm you can get the code and that its licence allows the changes you plan. Check the licence, and whether you can run and share a changed copy under its terms.

### Can Askarr run on the server owner's equipment?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Nothing is installed on your server. You add Askarr in Radarr and Sonarr as a source they check for requests. [^1] If you need the request website to run on your own equipment, make that a requirement when comparing options.

### How does Askarr pass requests to Radarr and Sonarr?

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up requests from it. [^1] Askarr never connects to Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1] Before you choose a way to send requests, check what access it needs and who will look after its settings.

### How does Askarr show request progress?

Radarr and Sonarr send updates back, so the Askarr site can show when a title was added and downloaded. [^1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [^1] Decide which progress updates the people making requests need, and how you will explain them.

### Can Askarr be tried before choosing a request method?

The Askarr dashboard can be tried with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [^1] Look at a demo to see how requests feel, then separately check the licence, whether you can change the code, and where it runs. Keep these choices tied to what you set out to do.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] - [Visit Askarr](/go/start)

## Sources

[^1]: Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start)