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Nikhilesh Mauje
Nikhilesh Mauje

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Hacktoberfest 2024 Journey as a First-Time Contributor

This year, I participated in Hacktoberfest, marking my first experience contributing to open source. Despite being new to the process, I learned so much from the event, from understanding pull requests and issue creation to resolving merge conflicts. Here’s my journey, challenges I faced, and the key takeaways I gained along the way.

Hacktoberfest opened my eyes to the world of open source collaboration, which was unfamiliar territory for me. I faced initial challenges with pull requests, figuring out how to create issues, and understanding the workflow of contributing to others' repositories. After several missteps, I got the hang of it—learning by trial and error and consulting ChatGPT whenever I hit a roadblock. By October 23rd, I successfully completed all four required PRs(4th PR is in Review Period), feeling accomplished and much more knowledgeable.

The journey wasn't smooth sailing. Many times, I felt stuck or unsure, especially when conflicts arose, but by persisting and seeking help, I managed to overcome each hurdle. I learned to navigate issues independently, which cleared up many of my initial doubts and made the experience rewarding.

Tips for Future Hacktoberfest Participants which I felt important to share:

  • Start Early in "Preptember": I began finding Hacktoberfest-labeled repositories in September end, which gave me a head start in creating issues and familiarizing myself with projects.
  • Choose Beginner-Friendly Repositories: If you’re new to programming or open source, look for repositories tagged with beginner-friendly languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript or any other in which you feel comfortable. Hacktoberfest is an ideal platform to learn as you go.
  • Follow the Code of Conduct: Always review the repository’s contribution guidelines and Hacktoberfest's rules to ensure your PRs are valid.
  • Finding Repositories to Contribute To: found beginner-friendly repositories through a mix of methods:
  • Searching GitHub for "beginner-friendly" and "Hacktoberfest" tags.
  • Checking LinkedIn posts where users shared Hacktoberfest projects.
  • Getting recommendations from friends also participating in Hacktoberfest.
  • Exploring YouTube, where creators often highlight repositories and give tips on Hacktoberfest.

My badges, didn't got final Level badge as final PR is in Review

For me, Hacktoberfest 2024 was about much more than just contributing to open source. It was a journey of staying consistent, focused, and resilient—even when I couldn’t figure things out immediately. From simply registering for Hacktoberfest last year to earning the badge for completing all four PRs this year, it’s been a rewarding path of growth and self-improvement.

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