# Customizing OPEN EMR

**URL:** <https://community.open-emr.org/t/customizing-open-emr/12091>\
**Category:** Management and Administration\
**Tags:** infrastructure\
**Created:** [May 14, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.open-emr.org/t/customizing-open-emr/12091 "2019-05-14T22:37:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cmack](https://community.open-emr.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@cmack](https://community.open-emr.org/u/cmack)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.open-emr.org/t/customizing-open-emr/12091/1 "2019-05-14T22:37:00Z")

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Hi

We are wondering how much of OPEN EMR can be changed/customized while still allowing it to be possible to accept and install updates when they occur? (I am asking on behalf of a developer)

Thx AOT  
CNM

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**Author:** ![mdsupport](https://community.open-emr.org/user_avatar/community.open-emr.org/mdsupport/32/10763_2.png) [@mdsupport](https://community.open-emr.org/u/mdsupport)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 4:37am UTC](https://community.open-emr.org/t/customizing-open-emr/12091/2 "2019-05-15T04:37:31Z")

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Depends on type of customization you plan to do. Project updates are released as patches. Standard tools manage the merge/add/delete flawlessly for prior standard code. But when you make local changes, in some cases that causes conflict that merge tools do not handle automatically. Experienced developers will modify code in a way that conflicts are eliminated or minimized. If the developer is familiar with git tools, you are covered.