Vigneshwaralingam

Posted on May 25

📚 What I Learned Today :On the open source contribution day 1

📚 What I Learned Today

🔐 1. How to Create an SSH Key

SSH keys help you securely connect to GitHub without using your username/password every time.

Steps to create and add an SSH key to GitHub:

# Step 1: Generate SSH key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

# Step 2: When asked, press ENTER to save at default location

# Step 3: Start ssh-agent
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Step 4: Add SSH key to ssh-agent
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Step 5: Copy the key
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Step 6: Paste the copied key into your GitHub

Go to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG Keys → New SSH Key → Paste → Save ✅

🌍 2. What Is Open Library?

A project by Internet Archive
Aim: To create one webpage for every book ever published
It’s open-source and you can contribute
URL: https://openlibrary.org

🏛️ 3. Internet Archive

A non-profit digital library
Stores books, music, videos, websites (Wayback Machine), etc.
Goal: Preserve and provide free access to knowledge

🌐 4. WorldCat

A global catalog of library collections
Helps you search for books and media in libraries near you
URL: https://www.worldcat.org

📘 5. Books Webpage (Use-First, Contribute-Next)

You first read, search, and borrow books
Then, if you want to help: fix errors, add info, code, or upload books
This is how many open-source projects work — use first, then contribute

🆚 6. Free Software vs Open Source Software

Feature	Free Software	Open Source Software
Focus	Freedom (4 freedoms)	Collaboration, Practicality
Example	GNU/Linux	Git, Firefox, VS Code
License	Strong (GPL)	Varies (MIT, Apache, etc.)

✅ Both allow you to view and change the code.

🔍 7. How to Find Open Source Projects on GitHub

Use GitHub search: is:issue is:open label:"good first issue"
Visit websites like:

🛠️ 8. What is Anki?

Anki – an open-source flashcard app using spaced repetition for memorizing
URL: https://apps.ankiweb.net

🗂️ 9. Kanban Board

A task management tool
Visual way to track project progress (To Do → In Progress → Done)
Tools like GitHub Projects, Trello, Notion use Kanban

📺 10. NewPipe

Free and open-source YouTube client for Android
No ads, background play, and privacy-friendly

💡 11. How to Contribute to Open Source

Step 1: Use GitHub to find projects you like
Step 2: Fork → Clone → Make changes → Push → Pull Request
Step 3: Join the community (Slack, Discord, Issues)
Look for: good first issue, help wanted, or documentation

📝 Summary Notes (Save for Reference)

✅ Created and added SSH key to GitHub
✅ Understood Open Library and Internet Archive
✅ Learned about WorldCat and how books are cataloged
✅ Learned the difference between free and open-source software
✅ Explored open-source apps like Anki and NewPipe
✅ Learned about project tools like Kanban boards
✅ Understood how to find and contribute to open-source projects

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