Your First Open Source Contribution Guide

Most developers would agree that making your first open source contribution can be daunting.

But with this complete guide, you'll have everything you need to make that critical first contribution with confidence.

You'll discover beginner-friendly projects, understand open source licenses, follow step-by-step contribution instructions, and grow your skills to become an impactful open source developer.

Introduction to Open Source Contribution

Open source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. Open source projects encourage collaboration and the free distribution of software.

Defining Open Source Software

Open source licenses allow the source code to be freely used, modified, and shared. Some popular open source licenses include MIT, GPL, Apache, and BSD. These licenses have specific terms, but all allow the source code to be modified and redistributed.

Advantages of Contributing to Open Source

Contributing to open source as a beginner has many benefits:

Improve coding skills
Gain experience using collaboration tools like GitHub
Expand professional network and build portfolio
Learn software development best practices
Make valuable connections in the tech community

The Open Source Contribution Lifecycle

The steps for making an open source contribution:

Find a project that interests you and fits your skill level
Read contribution guidelines and project docs
Set up local dev environment and tools
Identify issues to fix or features to add
Submit changes as pull requests (PRs)
Respond to code review feedback on PRs
Contribution gets approved and merged!

Open Source Contribution Guide GitHub

GitHub hosts millions of open source projects. It provides tools for managing contributions, like:

Issue trackers to discuss improvements
Project boards to prioritize work
Pull requests to propose & review code changes
Documentation sites for guides

GitHub enables open collaboration for anyone to contribute to open source projects.

How do you contribute to an open source guide?

Here's a handy checklist to evaluate whether a project is good for new contributors:

1. Meets the definition of open source

The project should have an open source license that allows you to freely use, modify, and distribute the software. Common open source licenses include MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL, etc.

2. Project actively accepts contributions

Look for signs that the project welcomes contributions - a CONTRIBUTING file, open issues labelled "good first issue", a Code of Conduct documenting community standards, public discussion channels like forums or chat servers, etc.

3. Project is welcoming

A healthy open source community offers mentorship and is understanding of first-time contributors. They appreciate new contributors and are responsive to questions.

4. Give context

When you submit a contribution, explain why you are suggesting the change and how it benefits the project. Context helps reviewers understand and approve your contribution faster.

5. Do your homework beforehand

Read documentation, review open issues, lurk in discussion channels to understand the project better before contributing. This saves everyone's time and sets you up for success.

6. Keep requests short and direct

Whether asking a question or suggesting a new feature, be brief and specific in your communication. Remember that maintainers are volunteers with limited bandwidth.

7. Keep all communication public

Discuss contributions publicly through issues/PRs instead of private messages. This allows more people to weigh in and benefit from the conversation.

How do you showcase open source contributions?

You can showcase your open source contributions in a few key ways on GitHub:

Create a profile README

Write an overview of your skills, interests, and OSS contributions
Link to your notable PRs and issues worked
List languages, frameworks, projects you have experience in
Add badges to profile for contributions, followers, etc

Curate your contribution activity

Star key projects you have contributed to
Choose visibility settings on projects based on quality of contributions
Hide spammy, low-quality PRs if needed

Link GitHub profile on resumes, portfolios, LinkedIn
Include best OSS work on coding challenge platforms
Refer to open source contributions during interviews

Overall, GitHub profiles offer developers a way to demonstrate practical experience in areas like collaboration, ownership, shipping code, and more. With thoughtful curation, it can be a valuable asset when applying to jobs or promoting your personal brand.

Should I contribute to open source as a beginner?

Contributing to open source as a beginner can be very rewarding for several reasons:

Improve Existing Skills

Whether it's coding, user interface design, graphic design, writing, or organizing, there's likely a task for you on an open source project that matches your existing skills. Contributing is a great way to level up those abilities.

Gain New Skills

You can also learn entirely new skills by contributing. For example, if you only know front-end coding, you could contribute to the back-end code to learn those new languages and frameworks.

Build Your Portfolio

Having open source contributions is an excellent addition to your portfolio. It shows you can collaborate with a team and handle real-world projects, which is valuable to employers.

Gain References and Connections

Connecting with seasoned open source contributors by working on projects can lead to networking opportunities. And they can also serve as great references for future job prospects if you make a good impression with your contributions.

Overall, contributing as a beginner lets you improve existing abilities, expand your skillset, showcase your work to potential employers, and grow your professional network. Just be sure to start small by tackling beginner-friendly issues so you can get your feet wet before taking on bigger challenges.

What percentage of developers contribute to open source?

According to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 63.9% of all surveyed developers contribute to open-source software. This indicates that contributing to open source is quite common among developers.

Here are some key points on open source contribution rates:

The majority of developers have contributed in some way, whether through code, documentation, testing, or other areas. This speaks to the collaborative nature of open source.
Contribution rates likely vary significantly across industries, companies, and developer roles. Front-end developers may contribute CSS/JavaScript fixes more routinely than backend developers, for example.
Many developers contribute to open source in their free time or as a way to improve skills, not necessarily as part of their formal job duties.
Corporate policies likely impact how many developers can contribute on company time. Some firms explicitly encourage open source participation.
The survey covers responses predominantly from developers in North America and Europe. Contribution rates in other regions may differ notably.
As open source grows more ubiquitous and businesses rely increasingly on OSS, contribution rates may continue rising in coming years across most segments of developers.

In summary, contributing to open source is common practice for a majority of developers already. This trend will likely gain momentum as open source plays an integral role in software infrastructure across market verticals. Most developers stand to benefit from open source participation.

Discovering Open Source Projects for Your First Contribution

Open source projects provide a great opportunity for developers to gain experience, build skills, and give back to the community. However, with so many projects available, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Here is a guide on how to find open source projects that welcome first-time contributors.

Assessing Your Interests and Skills

When looking for your first open source project to contribute to, consider your own interests and skillsets.

What programming languages are you most familiar with? Search for projects using those languages.
What types of applications do you enjoy building? Look for similar open source projects.
What software do you use daily? Many of those have open source alternatives.
What causes or communities do you want to support? Find related projects.

Make a list of your competencies and passions to narrow your search. Contributing will be more rewarding if you work on software you find genuinely interesting.

Also set realistic expectations about the complexity of contributions you can handle as a beginner. Bug fixes and documentation improvements are great starting points.

Utilizing GitHub to Find Beginner-Friendly Projects

GitHub makes it easy to find open source projects labeled for first-time contributors.

Use these GitHub searches to find "good first issue" and "help wanted" tickets:

is:issue is:open label:"good first issue"
is:issue is:open label:"help wanted"

Many projects tag beginner-friendly tickets to lower the barrier to entry. Look for the following labels:

first-timers-only
good-first-bug
beginner
easy

Star or watch repositories you may want to contribute to. GitHub will notify you when new issues are opened.

Exploring Open Source Programs and Events

Some open source programs and events specifically aim to attract first-time contributors:

Google Summer of Code: Paid global program matching students with open source organizations.
Hacktoberfest: A month-long celebration of open source contributions.
First Timers Only: Friendly issues for first-time open source contributors.

These initiatives often collate beginner-friendly issues across many projects. They provide useful search filters and extra documentation to help new contributors.

Following Open Source Contribution Projects

Stay updated about open source contribution opportunities by:

Joining project discussion forums and chat servers.
Following project social media accounts.
Subscribing to contributor newsletters.

This keeps you informed of new project developments, events, and tickets requiring community assistance.

Start small by fixing typos, improving documentation, patching bugs, or building tests. As you gain experience, you can tackle more complex features and code challenges.

Contributing to open source can be immensely rewarding. We wish you the best of luck on your open source journey!

Preparing to Contribute to an Open Source Project

Before you can start contributing to an open source project, there are some preliminary steps you should take to set yourself up for success. Understanding licenses, reading documentation, and reviewing contribution guidelines will help you make effective, compliant contributions.

Understanding Licenses and Intellectual Property

When working with open source software, it's important to understand the licensing for each project. Licenses dictate how the code can be used, modified, and distributed. Common open source licenses include MIT, GPL, and Apache. Take time to review the license for any project you plan to contribute to so you understand the terms of use. This ensures you don't inadvertently violate intellectual property restrictions.

Reading the Good README File

A quality README file provides a wealth of information for open source contributors. It typically covers topics like:

What the project does
How to set up the development environment
Links to documentation
Contribution guidelines
Code of conduct
How to get help

Review the README thoroughly before contributing. This will save you time and help you be more effective. Look for instructions on environment setup, tests to run, and links to issues suitable for first contributions.

Reviewing Contributor Guidelines Template

Many projects offer a CONTRIBUTING file or section in README for contributors. These guidelines typically cover:

Bug report and feature request templates
Code style and conventions
Testing procedures
Steps for submitting a pull request
Who to contact with questions

Following these guidelines helps ensure your contributions meet the project's standards and have the best chance of being accepted. Take time to review them carefully.

Adhering to the Code of Conduct

Open source projects often have a code of conduct to promote respectful, inclusive discourse. As a contributor, you must adhere to this code. Be courteous in communication, constructive in critiques, and empathetic towards others. Embrace diversity and avoid discrimination. Violations could result in removal from the community.

Making Your First Contribution: A Step-by-Step Guide

Contributing to open source can seem daunting for beginners, but it's an extremely rewarding way to develop your skills and give back to the community. This guide will walk you through the process of making your first open source contribution, from forking a repository to submitting pull requests.

Forking and Cloning the Repository

The first step is to make a fork, or copy, of the repository you want to contribute to. On GitHub, you'll see a "Fork" button on the top right of the project's main page. Click this to create your own fork that you can edit.

Next, you'll want to clone your forked repository so you have a local version on your own machine to work on. Run the following git command in your terminal, replacing "my-username" with your GitHub username:

git clone https://github.com/my-username/repository-name.git

Now you have your own local copy to start making changes to!

Navigating Issues Pointing Out Bugs

A great way to start contributing is by fixing bugs that have already been identified. Look for issues in the repository labeled "good first issue" or "good first bug" - these denote easy fixes suitable for first-time contributors.

Read through the issues and find one you think you can tackle. Be sure to comment on the issue stating you plan to work on it. This way other contributors know it's being addressed.

Committing Code Changes and Using Git

Make the necessary code changes to fix the bug on your local machine. Use descriptive commit messages so others can understand your fixes:

git commit -m "Fix memory leak in function foo"

Be sure to commit changes frequently. This way you can revert back easily if needed.

Submitting Pull Requests and Engaging in Review

Once you've fixed the bug, push your changes to your forked repository and submit a pull request to the main repository you forked from. This requests the project owners pull your changes into their codebase so everyone has your fixes!

Project maintainers will review your pull request and may ask questions or request changes. Be responsive to their feedback so your contribution can be merged in.

Understanding GitHub’s Project Management Tools

As you become a regular contributor, take advantage of GitHub's project management tools like issues, boards, labels, and milestones to stay organized. These help open source teams successfully coordinate contributions from members all over the world.

For example, you can filter issues to find ones that match your skills or current priorities. Understanding these tools will make you a more effective contributor.

Making that first open source contribution can be intimidating, but hopefully this guide has demystified the process for you. The communities are welcoming to new contributors, so don't be afraid to jump right in!

Beyond Your First Contribution: Growing as an Open Source Developer

Finding More Complex Issues and Contributing Effectively

After you have made your first few contributions, look beyond just the 'good-first-issue' and 'beginner-friendly' labeled issues. Sort issues by complexity level or focus area to find ones that will let you develop more specialized skills. Tackling more complex bugs and enhancements will expand your technical abilities.

Familiarize yourself with the codebase structure before diving into tricky issues. Review the documentation, style guides, and onboarding notes. Join the community forums or chat channels to connect with other contributors for guidance.

Participating in Open Source Friday and Similar Initiatives

Check out Open Source Friday and other organized events that motivate developers to spend dedicated time working on open source projects every week. Setting aside a few hours to focus just on open source helps ensure you contribute regularly.

Many open source programs also host seasonal contribution drives like Hacktoberfest or 24 Pull Requests. These initiatives make open source more social and add extrinsic motivation through swag or prizes.

Becoming a Repository Maintainer and Accepting Contributions

As you become a consistent high-value contributor, project maintainers may invite you to take on a bigger role. This growth path allows you to guide other developers, review incoming contributions, help shape project direction, and ensure code quality and consistency.

Learn best practices for maintaining projects with contributor guidelines and code of conduct. Make it easy for others to collaborate by labeling newcomer-friendly issues and mentoring new contributors.

Leveraging Open Source Contribution to Advance Your Career

Highlight your open source contributions on job applications and LinkedIn to showcase your skills. Quantify your impact by noting metrics like issues closed, lines of code added, community members helped, etc.

Contributing to popular projects signals you can produce quality code that meets project standards. It exhibits soft skills like communication, collaboration, and community building.

Some companies even sponsor developers to work part-time on open source. This allows you to get paid while advancing your career.

Exploring Advanced Collaboration Techniques

As you embed yourself further within projects, take advantage of more advanced collaboration features offered on platforms like GitHub and GitLab. For substantial changes, open merge requests rather than directly committing code, enabling peer review.

Join project meetings and events to connect face-to-face with other contributors. Seek out a mentor within the community, or offer to mentor newer contributors. This human connection and knowledge sharing leads to powerful collaborative outcomes.

Conclusion: Your Journey in Open Source

Recap of the Open Source Contribution Guide

Making your first open source contribution can seem daunting, but following this guide step-by-step will set you on the path to success. Here are the key things to remember:

Choose a beginner-friendly project that interests you and review their contributor guidelines
Set up your development environment with Git and create a GitHub account
Fork the repository and create a new branch to work on an issue
Make your changes, test thoroughly, and commit with clear messaging
Open a pull request and engage in code review conversations to get it merged

Following best practices around communication, testing, and committing will help your first PR get accepted.

Encouragement for New Developers

As a new developer, contributing to open source can be incredibly rewarding. Don't get discouraged if your first PR doesn't get accepted right away. Seek mentorship opportunities within project communities and keep practicing. The more you contribute, the more you will learn and grow as a developer.

Additional Resources and Communities

For further help as you get started, check out guides from the Linux Foundation and GitHub's open source section. Connect with developer communities like 24 Pull Requests to find projects and get support.

As you gain more experience, consider mentoring other first-time contributors to give back to the open source community.