How I Started
When Hacktoberfest began, I was stressed. But throughout October, that stress transformed into excitement. Every time a PR was accepted, my confidence grew. Initially, I forked multiple C++ projects which turned out to be a mistake. I wasn't familiar enough with open source workflows, and C++ build times were extremely long, especially for large codebases. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and switched to frontend projects built with TypeScript, React, and Next.js. This transition also introduced me to writing test cases, which became an essential part of ensuring my contributions were reliable and maintainable.
Projects Pull Requests that I Worked On:
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physicshub- Interactive physics education site
- Accepted PR - Added theme cycling feature with dark/light/system modes
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realworld-design-patterns - TypeScript design pattern examples
- Accepted PR - Implemented the Memento pattern with a game save/load example
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OpsiMate - DevOps/IT infrastructure management platform
- Accepted PR - Validate API key both client-side and server-side
- Active PR - Add search feature to audit log
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Algorithms - Multi-language algorithm collection
- Accepted PR - Implemented Radix Sort in Python
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storyden - Modern community/forum platform
- Accepted PR - Fixed thread count pluralization
Learning how to Be Specific
In open source, maintainers don't expect you to invent new technology. They expect you to solve their problems. Most issues require research in a specific area of programming. My research approach shifted from broad surface-level searches to deep, targeted investigation. Instead of reading general tutorials, I focused on specific documentation, problem-related discussions, and technical posts, which significantly developed my expertise, especially in web development.
Gaining Confidence
Interacting with developers and contributing to projects taught me how to properly set up and structure codebases. Being actively involved in October improved my communication skills when discussing technologies like React, TypeScript, and software architecture. Now, I'm no longer afraid to fork any repo within my stack and attempt to contribute. Even if I can't solve the issue immediately, I know I'll learn something valuable or connect with the project's Slack or Discord community to gain new insights.
Repo Searching and Contributing
Searching for repos on GitHub as a beginner can be frustrating, but over time it becomes a daily habit. Especially if you enjoy fixing bugs or implementing features. Hacktoberfest taught me that even implementing one feature end-to-end requires effort and proactivity. As a contributor, I had to stay in touch with maintainers to understand project-specific details like utility functions I hadn't checked or architectural recommendations.
Final Thoughts
Throughout this journey, I realized that building software is complex and requires diverse expertise. Most projects have automated PR checks via GitHub Actions for CI pipelines and integrate AI tools to streamline reviews. At first, this seemed overwhelming, but I've learned to embrace new tools and adapt quickly. At the end of the day, it's all part of becoming a better developer.
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