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My First Open Source Journey

#opensource #github #contributorswanted #openai

Introduction

Starting my open-source journey was one of the most exciting steps in my learning path as a developer.
Until then, most of my coding experience came from small personal projects or tutorials where I worked alone.

But open source changed everything — it taught me collaboration, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving.

Table of Contents

  1. Why I Started with Open Source
  2. Setting Up My First Project: OpenSeadragon
  3. Understanding and Choosing a License
  4. My First Pull Requests
  5. Contributing to Practice Repositories
  6. Key Lessons Learned
  7. Tips for Future Contributors

  8. Final Thoughts

  9. Why I Started with Open Source

Open source fascinated me because it’s not just about writing code — it’s about community, learning, and impact.

My Goals
-> Learn to use Git & GitHub effectively
-> Understand professional workflows
-> Connect with global developers
-> Improve debugging & documentation skills
-> Build a visible coding portfolio

Each goal became reachable once I took my first small step into open source.

  1. Setting Up My First Project: OpenSeadragon Why I Chose OpenSeadragon

I chose OpenSeadragon, an open-source image viewer, because it had:
-> Excellent documentation
-> Welcoming community
-> Real-world use cases
-> Beginner-friendly “good first issue” tags

Challenges I Faced

Challenge 1: Understanding the Project Structure
Problem: Large and complex codebase
Solution: Focused on one module and studied the docs carefully

Challenge 2: Environment Setup
Problem: Dependency installation errors
Solution: Followed README & checked discussion threads for help

Challenge 3: First-Time PR Fear
Problem: Unsure if my code met standards
Solution: Asked maintainers for feedback and improved before submitting

  1. Understanding and Choosing a License

Before creating or contributing, I learned that licenses define how others use your code.

Why Licenses Matter
Protect your work
Define contribution rules
Avoid legal confusion
My Choice: MIT License
I like the MIT License because it’s:
Simple & beginner-friendly
Flexible for open & commercial use
Popular and widely understood
Pro Tip: Add a LICENSE file in your repo — GitHub will auto-detect it!

  1. My First Pull Requests PR #1 – Merged

Repo: AdarshAddee
Task: Fixed difficulty in code
Status: Merged
What I Learned:
How to identify & fix minor bugs
Importance of testing before commit
Clear commit messages = smooth reviews

PR #2 – Merged
Repo: AliceWonderland/hacktoberfest
Task: Added a code snippet
Status: Merged
What I Learned:
Fork → Clone → Commit → PR workflow
How events like Hacktoberfest encourage learning
Even small changes help real projects grow

  1. Contributing to Practice Repositories
    I also practiced in beginner-friendly repos to learn the full workflow.
    Each small step — even fixing typos or updating docs — boosted my confidence and skills.

  2. Key Lessons Learned

  3. Start Small – Even tiny fixes count.

  4. Read CONTRIBUTING.md – Every project has its own rules.

  5. Be Patient – Maintainers review in their own time.

  6. Ask Questions – Learning starts with curiosity.

  7. Test Before PR – Always verify your changes.

  8. Celebrate Progress – Every merged PR is a win!

  9. Tips for Future Contributors
    Getting Started Checklist
    Create a GitHub account
    Set up Git locally
    Learn clone, branch, commit, push, PR
    Find beginner-friendly projects
    Join community forums or Discords
    Pick issues labeled good first issue
    Contribute & celebrate!

    1. Final Thoughts My open-source journey has just begun, but it has already taught me teamwork, patience, and growth.

What’s Next

Contribute to larger projects
Create my own open-source repo
Mentor new contributors
Apply for Google Summer of Code (GSoC)
Open source isn’t only about code — it’s about learning, sharing, and building together.
If you’re thinking of starting, take that first step today — your first pull request could change everything.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sri-anjali-5b98ba356

Summary

  • Start small and stay consistent
  • Read docs carefully
  • Be open to feedback
  • Celebrate every step
  • Give back to the community “Every expert contributor once began with a single pull request.”

Thank you for reading! If you found this helpful, please share and follow me for more content about open source, web development, and my coding journey!

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