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Aman Pandey
Aman Pandey

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Why I Took a Step Back from Open Source to Learn Node.js Properly

For the past couple of months, I’ve been trying to get into open source. I’d go on GitHub, search for “good first issues”, open up a bunch of repos... and then just stare at the screen like:

“What even is going on here?”

I wanted to help. I really did. But half the time I couldn’t understand the issue, and the codebase looked like a maze. Reading the README sometimes helped, but most of the time I still felt completely lost.

The Realization
After a few frustrating attempts, it hit me:

I don’t actually understand the language (Node.js) well enough.
I don’t get how bigger projects are structured.
And honestly... I don’t even know what some of these repos do.

Trying to contribute without understanding the tools or the context just made me feel like I was faking it the whole time.

So, I’m Changing My Approach
Instead of jumping into open source head-first, I’m hitting pause and going back to the basics — but this time, properly.

I’m going deep into Node.js, not just the syntax but the real-world stuff — like how to build APIs, use middleware, write tests, manage folders, etc.

I’ll build some complex projects from scratch — not just “To-Do apps” but things that challenge me and make me think.

I want to follow industry best practices so that when I look at an open-source repo, it doesn’t feel like I’m reading another language.

Once I feel more confident and actually understand the projects I’m looking at, I’ll go back to contributing. And this time, I won’t be just guessing — I’ll be adding real value.

You're Not Alone If You're Struggling
If you’re in the same boat trying to contribute but feeling stuck it’s okay. Learning takes time. And it’s totally fine to take a step back, learn the ropes, and come back stronger.

We all start somewhere. 💪

The Resources I'll be using:

  1. NodeJs Docs: NodeJS docs
  2. YouTube Tutorial: Node JS Sangan Mukherjee

Thanks for reading. If you’ve been through something similar or have advice for someone like me, feel free to drop a comment — and if you're in the same boat and want to chat, just DM me! Always happy to connect.

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