10 tips to get started with open source

Cover image of the blog post. Photo of Aurora Borealis
Photo by Japheth Mast

1. Start with an issue:

Use issues to highlight bugs or feature requests, explaining the problem you aim to solve and its significance.

2. Begin small:

Instead of tackling large tasks immediately, start small to develop skills and familiarize yourself with different codebase sections and the project’s workflow.

3.Seek help without hesitation:

Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance when stuck. Provide details on attempted solutions or ideas.

4. Practice patience:

Understand that reviewing and merging contributions might take time. Stay motivated and continue working on other tasks.

5.Embrace constructive criticism:

View feedback as a chance to enhance coding skills rather than a personal critique.

6. Learn from merged pull requests:

Study successfully merged requests to understand effective contributions and learn from them.

7. Familiarize with project guidelines:

Read and adhere to the project’s contributing guidelines to streamline your pull request process.

8. Choose an engaging project:

Invest time in projects that genuinely interest you and align with your passions and skills.

9. Engage with the community:

Join the project’s contributor community to build relationships and facilitate smoother pull request acceptance.

10. Enjoy the journey:

Embrace the learning experience. Contributing to open source projects is an opportunity for skill development and networking. Have fun along the way!

Thank you very much. 🎉