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10 tips to get started with open source

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Kevin Zuniga Cuellar @kevinzunigacuel

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  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!