For many students learning to code, the first real challenge is not writing a program. It is figuring out how to work on a project created by someone else.
There may be unfamiliar folders, hundreds of files, and instructions that are difficult to understand at first. It can feel intimidating to make a change when other people are watching.
Hacktoberfest offers a reason to take that first step. The annual event encourages people to explore open source and contribute to projects alongside a wider community of developers.
What is open source?
Open-source software is software whose source code is made available for people to inspect, use, modify, and share under the terms of its licence.
Think of it like a recipe that has been shared with a community. People can study how it was made, suggest improvements, and create their own versions, while following the rules set by the recipe’s creator.
Software projects work in a similar way. Developers share code, and contributors can help improve it. Linux, Mozilla Firefox, and Visual Studio Code are examples of projects with open-source code.
But open source is more than access to code. It is also a way for people to solve problems together.
A place for beginners to learn
A student who is used to university assignments may be surprised by the structure of an open-source project. The work does not begin with writing code. It begins with reading.
A contributor might first explore the project’s documentation, understand how to run it, and look at its list of issues. An issue is a task, problem, or suggestion recorded by the community. Some projects label suitable tasks as good first issues to help new contributors find a starting point.
The first contribution does not have to be a major feature. Correcting an unclear instruction, fixing a broken link, improving an example, or reporting a bug can make a project more useful for everyone.
Small contributions also help beginners become familiar with the process before attempting larger changes.
Understanding Git and GitHub
Two tools often appear in the open-source journey: Git and GitHub.
Git is a version-control tool. It records changes to files so developers can follow the history of a project and work on changes in an organised way.
GitHub is a platform where people can host Git repositories and collaborate. A repository contains a project’s files and their version history.
A common contribution process looks like this:
- Find a project and read its contribution guidelines.
- Choose a task that matches your skills.
- Create a copy of the repository, often called a fork.
- Make your changes in a separate branch.
- Save your work in Git using a commit.
- Submit a pull request to propose your changes to the original project.
The project maintainers can review the pull request, ask questions, suggest changes, or accept the contribution.
Learning these steps takes practice. A confusing error or a requested correction is not a sign that someone does not belong. It is often part of learning how a project works.
The human side of open source
Behind every repository are people: maintainers who care for the project, contributors who suggest improvements, and users who rely on the software.
That is why communication matters. A clear bug report helps others reproduce a problem. A helpful pull request explains what changed and why. A respectful question can make it easier for someone to offer guidance.
Review is also an important part of collaboration. When a maintainer suggests a change, they may be helping a contributor understand the project’s standards or pointing out a situation the contributor had not considered.
For students, these interactions are valuable preparation for group projects and future workplaces, where technical work and communication go hand in hand.
Beyond October
Hacktoberfest can be an introduction to open source, but the learning does not have to end when the event does.
Students can continue exploring projects that match their interests, whether those interests are web development, cloud computing, cybersecurity, design, or documentation. Over time, even small contributions can build confidence and a better understanding of how software is developed.
The most useful first step is simple: find a project that interests you, read its guidelines, and look for a way to help. Every experienced contributor was once new to the process.
Open source gives us a chance to learn from others—and, when we are ready, help others learn from us too.
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