Beginners Guide on How to Contribute to Open Source Projects

What Exactly is Open Source?

Open source refers to software that is freely available to the public to use, modify, and distribute. This software comes with source code that anyone can inspect, enhance, and adapt according to their needs. The philosophy behind open source promotes collaborative development and community engagement, where developers from around the world can contribute to improving the software. Popular examples of open-source projects include Linux, Mozilla Firefox, and the Apache HTTP Server.

Why Contribute to Open Source?

Contributing to open source projects can be a rewarding way to learn, teach, share, and build experience.

Contributing to open source has numerous benefits, including:

• Skill Development: Improve your coding and problem-solving skills.
• Networking: Connect with other developers and professionals.
• Portfolio Building: Showcase your contributions to potential employers.
• Learning: Gain knowledge from real-world projects.
• Community Involvement: Be part of a global community and contribute to projects you care about.
• Mentorship: To find a mentor if you need one.

How Can You Get Started Contributing?

Understanding the Basics
Before diving into open source contributions, it's essential to have a solid understanding of the basics:

• Version Control: Learn Git and GitHub as they are the most widely used tools in open source.
• Programming Skills: Ensure you have a good grasp of the programming languages used in the projects you are interested in.
• Reading Documentation: Get comfortable with reading and understanding project documentation.

Setting Up Your Environment
Ensure your development environment is set up with the necessary tools:

• Git: Install Git on your machine.
• Code Editor: Use a code editor like Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or Atom.
• GitHub Account: Create a GitHub account if you don't have one.

Finding an Open Source Project
Start by looking for projects that interest you or align with your skillset. You can find open source projects on:

• GitHub: Use GitHub's Explore feature or search for topics of interest.
• GitLab: Similar to GitHub, GitLab offers a range of open source projects.
• Bitbucket: Another platform for finding open source projects.
• Open Source Directories: Websites like Open Source Guide, First Timers Only, and Up For Grabs list projects looking for contributors.

Choosing the Right Project
Consider the following criteria when selecting a project:

• Activity Level: Look for active projects with recent commits and regular updates.
• Community: Check if the project has an active community and good support for newcomers.
• Documentation: Ensure the project has comprehensive documentation to help you get started.
• Issues: Look for beginner-friendly issues labeled as "good first issue" or "beginner-friendly."

Understanding the Project
Once you've chosen a project, take time to understand it:

• Read the README: The README file provides an overview of the project.
• Explore the Codebase: Browse through the code to understand its structure and components.
• Review Documentation: Check the project's documentation for setup instructions, contribution guidelines, and coding standards.
• Join Community Channels: Engage with the project's community through forums, chat channels, or mailing lists.

What Should You Expect?

Contributing to open source can be a rewarding but challenging experience. Here's what you should expect:

• Learning Curve: There might be a steep learning curve as you get familiar with the project.
• Feedback: Expect constructive feedback on your contributions.
• Collaboration: Be prepared to work collaboratively with other contributors.
• Patience: Contributions may take time to be reviewed and merged.

What is Needed to Participate in Open Source Contribution?

To effectively participate in open source contributions, you'll need:

• Basic Coding Skills: Knowledge of the programming languages used in the project.
• Git and GitHub: Proficiency in version control and using GitHub.
• Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly with other contributors.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Capability to troubleshoot and solve issues.

How Does One Start from Scratch to Raising a PR?

1. Fork the Repository
   Fork the project repository to create a copy under your GitHub account. This allows you to make changes without affecting the original repository.

2. Clone the Forked Repository
   Clone the forked repository to your local machine using the command:
   git clone https://github.com/your-username/project-name.git


3. Create a New Branch
   Create a new branch for your changes to keep your work organized:
   git checkout -b idungstanley-branch


4. Make Your Changes
   Make the necessary changes to the codebase. Ensure your changes adhere to the project's coding standards and guidelines.

5. Commit Your Changes
   Commit your changes with a descriptive commit message:
   git add .
git commit -m "Add feature XYZ"


6. Push to Your Fork
   Push your changes to your forked repository:
   git push origin my-feature-branch


7. Open a Pull Request
   Go to the original project repository on GitHub and open a pull request from your forked repository. Provide a clear description of the changes you've made and why they are necessary.

8. Collaborate and Iterate
   Be responsive to any feedback or requested changes from the project maintainers. Make necessary adjustments and update your pull request accordingly.

How Does One Look for an Open Source Project to Participate In?

Finding the right open source project involves:

1. Identifying Your Interests
   Consider what technologies, languages, or topics you are passionate about. This will make the contribution process more enjoyable.

2. Using GitHub's Explore Feature
   GitHub's Explore feature can help you discover projects based on your interests. You can browse through trending repositories or search for specific topics.

3. Checking Contribution Guides
   Many open source projects have contribution guides that provide an overview of how to get involved. These guides often highlight areas where help is needed.

4. Exploring Open Source Directories
   Websites like Open Source Guide, First Timers Only, and Up For Grabs list projects that welcome new contributors. These directories often label beginner-friendly issues to help you get started.

What are the Criteria and How Does a PR Get Approved?

Criteria for Contributing
Each project may have its own set of criteria for contributions. Generally, you should:

• Follow Coding Standards: Adhere to the project's coding conventions and guidelines.
• Write Clear Commit Messages: Provide concise and descriptive commit messages.
• Test Your Changes: Ensure your changes do not break existing functionality.
• Document Your Work: Update any relevant documentation to reflect your changes.

PR Approval Process

The process for approving a pull request typically involves the following and this depends on the company:

• Review: Project maintainers or other contributors review your pull request. They may provide feedback or request changes.
• Discussion: Engage in constructive discussions to address any concerns or questions about your pull request.
• Revisions: Make any necessary revisions based on the feedback received.
• Approval: Once all feedback has been addressed and the changes are satisfactory, the pull request will be approved and merged into the main branch.

How to Join the Community?

1. Participate in Discussions
   Engage in discussions on forums, chat channels, or mailing lists related to the project. Introduce yourself and express your interest in contributing.

2. Attend Community Events
   Join community events like hackathons, meetups, or conferences to network with other contributors and learn more about the project.

3. Contribute to Documentation
   Contributing to documentation is a great way to start. It helps you understand the project better and provides an entry point for more significant contributions.

4. Be Respectful and Inclusive
   Always be respectful and inclusive in your interactions. Open source communities thrive on collaboration and mutual respect.

Roles in a typical open source Project

Project Maintainer

Responsibilities:

• Overseeing the project: Maintainers are responsible for the overall health and direction of the project.
• Merging Pull Requests: They review and merge contributions from other developers.
• Managing Releases: They handle the release process, ensuring that new versions are stable and well-documented.
• Setting the Vision: Maintainers set the vision and goals for the project and make decisions on major changes or new features.

Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of the project's codebase.
• Strong leadership and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication skills to interact with contributors and users.

Core Contributor

Responsibilities:

• Regular Contributions: Core contributors regularly contribute significant code, documentation, or other resources to the project.
• Code Review: They assist maintainers by reviewing pull requests and providing feedback.
• Mentorship: They often help onboard new contributors by providing guidance and support.

Skills:

• Deep understanding of the project's codebase.
• Ability to write high-quality, maintainable code.
• Good mentoring and communication skills.

Contributor

Responsibilities:

• Submitting Pull Requests: Contributors make improvements or add features to the project by submitting pull requests.
• Reporting Issues: They help by identifying and reporting bugs or suggesting enhancements.
• Improving Documentation: Contributors often update or improve project documentation to help others understand the project better.

Skills:

• Basic to advanced coding skills, depending on the contribution.
• Familiarity with the project's guidelines and processes.
• Willingness to collaborate and receive feedback.

Issue Triage

Responsibilities:

• Managing Issues: They help manage the project's issue tracker by categorizing, tagging, and prioritizing issues.
• Reproducing Bugs: They verify bug reports by trying to reproduce the reported issues.
• Closing Issues: They close issues that are resolved or no longer relevant.

Skills:

• Good organizational skills.
• Attention to detail to accurately categorize and prioritize issues.
• Ability to reproduce and verify bugs.

Documentation Specialist

Responsibilities:

• Writing and Maintaining Documentation: They create and maintain comprehensive documentation for the project, including installation guides, tutorials, and API references.
• User Guides: They write guides to help new users understand how to use the project.
• Developer Guides: They provide detailed guides for developers looking to contribute to the project.

Skills:

• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Technical understanding of the project.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into easily understandable language.

Community Manager

Responsibilities:

• Engaging the Community: They engage with the community by responding to questions, facilitating discussions, and organizing events.
• Moderating Discussions: They moderate forums, chat channels, and mailing lists to ensure respectful and productive communication.
• Growing the Community: They work to attract new contributors and users to the project.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience in community building and moderation.
• Ability to manage conflicts and foster a positive community environment.

Designer

Responsibilities:

• User Experience (UX) Design: They design the user experience and user interface of the project.
• Creating Visual Assets: They create visual assets such as logos, icons, and banners.
• Improving Usability: They suggest and implement improvements to enhance the usability of the project.

Skills:

• Strong design skills, including proficiency with design tools like Sketch, Figma, or Adobe XD.
• Understanding of UX principles and best practices.
• Ability to collaborate with developers to implement design changes.

Tester

Responsibilities:

• Testing New Features: They test new features and changes to ensure they work as expected.
• Writing Test Cases: They write and maintain test cases for automated and manual testing.
• Reporting Bugs: They report any bugs or issues they find during testing.

Skills:

• Attention to detail and a methodical approach to testing.
• Knowledge of testing tools and methodologies.
• Ability to write clear and concise bug reports.

Mentor

Responsibilities:

• Guiding New Contributors: They provide guidance and support to new contributors, helping them understand the project and how to contribute.
• Running Onboarding Sessions: They run onboarding sessions or create resources to help new contributors get started.
• Providing Feedback: They review contributions from new contributors and provide constructive feedback.

Skills:

• Strong knowledge of the project.
• Excellent teaching and mentoring skills.
• Patience and the ability to provide constructive feedback.

Financial Supporter

Responsibilities:

• Funding the Project: They provide financial support to the project, either through direct donations, sponsorships, or grants.
• Promoting the Project: They help promote the project to attract more financial supporters.
• Managing Funds: In some cases, they may help manage the allocation and use of funds.

Skills:

• Understanding of fundraising and financial management.
• Ability to communicate the value of the project to potential supporters.
• Experience in sponsorship or grant writing.

Advocate/Evangelist

Responsibilities:

• Promoting the Project: They promote the project through talks, blog posts, social media, and other channels.
• Building Partnerships: They help build partnerships with other projects, organizations, and communities.
• User Education: They educate potential users and contributors about the project and how to get involved.

Skills:

• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Passion for the project and its goals.
• Ability to engage with a wide audience.

Must-Have Elements in All Open Source Projects

For an open source project to be successful, welcoming, and easy to contribute to, there are certain elements that should be in place. These elements help in maintaining clarity, ensuring effective collaboration, and fostering a healthy community. Below are the must-have elements that every open source project should incorporate:

Clear Documentation

A. README.md
The README.md file is often the first document that a new visitor to your project will see. It should provide a comprehensive overview of the project, including:

• Project Description: What does the project do? Installation Instructions: How can someone set up the project on their local machine?
• Usage Examples: Provide examples of how to use the project.
• Contributing Guidelines: How can someone contribute to the project?

B. CONTRIBUTING.md
A CONTRIBUTING.md file provides detailed instructions on how to contribute to the project. This should include:

• Code of Conduct: Expected behavior and consequences for violations.
• How to Report Issues: Guidelines for reporting bugs or suggesting features.
• Development Workflow: How to set up the development environment, run tests, and submit changes.
• Style Guide: Coding conventions and best practices.

C. CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
A CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md file outlines the expected behavior of contributors and the standards for community interactions. This helps in fostering a welcoming and inclusive community.

D. LICENSE
Every open source project should have a license that specifies how others can use, modify, and distribute the code. Popular licenses include the MIT License, Apache License 2.0, and GNU General Public License (GPL).

Issue Tracker
An issue tracker is crucial for managing bugs, feature requests, and discussions. Platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket provide built-in issue tracking features. Key components of an issue tracker include:

• Labels: Categorize issues by type, such as bug, enhancement, or documentation.
• Templates: Provide issue and pull request templates to ensure that contributors provide necessary information.
• Milestones: Group related issues and pull requests into milestones to track progress toward specific goals.

Contribution Guidelines
Clear contribution guidelines help new contributors understand how to get started. This includes:

• How to Fork and Clone the Repository: Basic steps to set up the project locally.
• Branching Model: Guidelines on creating branches for new features or bug fixes.
• Commit Messages: Standard format for commit messages.
• Pull Request Process: Steps for submitting a pull request, including how to run tests and get the code reviewed.

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
CI/CD pipelines automate the testing and deployment of code changes. This ensures that new contributions do not break the project and that the latest version is always deployable. Popular CI/CD tools include:

• GitHub Actions: Integrates seamlessly with GitHub repositories.
• Travis CI: Supports various programming languages and integrates with GitHub and Bitbucket.
• CircleCI: Known for its speed and flexibility.

Testing Framework
A robust testing framework is essential for maintaining code quality and ensuring that new contributions do not introduce bugs. Include unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests as appropriate. Popular testing frameworks include:

• JUnit: For Java projects.
• PyTest: For Python projects.
• Jest: For JavaScript projects.

Community Channels
Engage with your community through various channels to encourage collaboration and support. This can include:

• Discussion Forums: Platforms like GitHub Discussions or Discourse.
• Chat Channels: Slack, Discord, or Gitter for real-time communication.
• Mailing Lists: Google Groups or Mailchimp for announcements and discussions.

Version Control
Use a version control system like Git to manage changes to the project's codebase. GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket are popular platforms that provide hosting for Git repositories.

Project Governance
Define how the project is governed, including decision-making processes, roles, and responsibilities. This can be outlined in a GOVERNANCE.md file and should include:

• Maintainers: List of people responsible for reviewing and merging contributions.
• Decision-Making Process: How decisions are made (e.g., consensus, majority vote).
• Conflict Resolution: Procedures for resolving disputes.

Security Policy
Include a security policy that outlines how to report security vulnerabilities and the process for handling them. This can be included in a SECURITY.md file and should cover:

• Reporting Process: How and where to report security issues.
• Response Time: Expected time frame for acknowledging and addressing reports.
• Disclosure Policy: Guidelines on how and when security issues will be disclosed to the public.

Code Quality Tools
Incorporate tools to maintain high code quality, such as:

• Linters: Automatically check code for stylistic and programming errors.
• Code Formatters: Enforce consistent code formatting.
• Static Analysis Tools: Detect potential bugs and security vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

Incorporating these essential elements in your open source project will help create a welcoming, organized, and efficient environment for contributors. Clear documentation, robust testing, and effective community engagement are crucial for the success and sustainability of any open source project. By following these best practices, you can attract more contributors, foster collaboration, and build a thriving community around your project.