Ashutosh Singh
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Jan 01, 2023
7 min read

Contributing To Open Source Projects As A Developer

A great way to enhance your skills, collaborate with others, and make a positive impact on the community

Choose an open-source project

Find an open-source project that aligns with your interests and skills. Look for projects on popular platforms like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. Consider factors such as project activity, community engagement, and issue tracker responsiveness.

Here are some popular open source projects hosted on GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab:

  1. GitHub
  2. Bitbucket
  3. GitLab

Familiarize yourself with the project

Read the project’s documentation, including the README file, contributing guidelines, and code of conduct. Understand the project’s purpose, architecture, and existing codebase. Explore the issue tracker to identify any open issues or feature requests that you can contribute to.

  1. Documentation: Start by reading the project’s documentation, including any README files, user guides, API references, and technical documentation. This will give you a high-level overview of the project’s purpose, architecture, and usage.
  2. Code Review: Review the project’s source code to understand its structure, modules, and implementation details. Take note of important components, patterns, and dependencies used in the codebase.
  3. Issue Tracker: Look at the project’s issue tracker (e.g., GitHub Issues, Jira) to get an understanding of the current and past challenges, bug reports, and feature requests. This can give you insights into the project’s priorities and ongoing discussions.
  4. Communication: Engage with the project’s community, such as developers, maintainers, or users, through forums, mailing lists, chat platforms, or discussion boards. Ask questions, seek clarifications, and participate in discussions to gain deeper insights into the project.
  5. Experimentation: Set up a local development environment and experiment with the project by making small modifications, running sample code, or creating test cases. This hands-on approach can deepen your understanding of how the project works and allow you to gain practical experience.

Start with small tasks

Begin by tackling small, well-defined tasks to get familiar with the project’s codebase and development workflows. Look for issues labeled as “beginner-friendly,” “good first issue,” or similar tags. These issues are typically suited for newcomers and serve as a good starting point.

  1. Explore the Issue Tracker: Look for issues labeled as “beginner-friendly,” “good first issue,” or “help wanted.” These are typically smaller tasks suitable for newcomers. You can filter issues based on programming language, area of interest, or skill level.
  2. Start with Bug Fixes: Bug fixes are often a good starting point. Look for bug reports in the issue tracker and try to reproduce them locally. Once you understand the issue, propose a fix by submitting a pull request. This will help you understand the project’s codebase and development process.
  3. Implement Small Features: Some projects have feature requests labeled as “low-hanging fruit” or “small enhancement.” Pick a small feature that aligns with your skills and interests. Discuss the implementation approach with the project’s community, and once you have a plan, start working on it.

Collaborate and communicate

Join the project’s communication channels, such as chat platforms, mailing lists, or forums. Introduce yourself to the community and ask questions if you need any help or clarification. Engage in discussions, share your ideas, and seek feedback on your proposed contributions.

  1. Join Community Channels: Join the project’s communication channels, such as mailing lists, chat platforms (Slack, Discord, IRC), or forums. Introduce yourself, ask questions, and participate in discussions related to the project. This allows you to connect with the community and stay updated on project-related activities.
  2. Follow Project Guidelines: Familiarize yourself with the project’s contribution guidelines, code of conduct, and communication norms. Adhere to these guidelines when interacting with the community to maintain a positive and inclusive environment.
  3. Engage in Issue Discussions: Participate in issue discussions by sharing your insights, proposing solutions, or asking for clarification. Collaborate with others to understand the problem at hand and contribute to finding the best approach for resolving the issue.
  4. Offer Help and Guidance: If you have expertise in a specific area or have tackled similar challenges before, offer your assistance to others in the community. Help answer questions, provide guidance, or review code and pull requests. Sharing knowledge and supporting others strengthens the community and fosters collaboration.
Once you feel comfortable, start contributing code to the project. This may involve fixing bugs, adding new features, or improving existing functionality. Follow the project’s coding style guidelines and maintain consistency with the existing codebase. Write tests to ensure the stability and reliability of your changes.

Submit a pull request

When you’re ready to contribute your changes, fork the project repository, create a new branch for your changes, and commit your code. Push the branch to your forked repository and submit a pull request to the main project repository. Provide a clear and concise description of your changes, including any relevant context or references to related issues.

  1. Fork the Repository: On the project’s GitHub page, click the “Fork” button to create a copy of the repository under your GitHub account.
  2. Clone the Forked Repository: Clone the forked repository to your local development environment using Git. Open your terminal and run the following command:
        git clone https://github.com/your-username/repository-name.git
  1. Create a New Branch: Move into the cloned repository and create a new branch for your changes. The branch name should be descriptive of the changes you’ll be making. Run the following command to create a new branch:
        git checkout -b new-branch-name
  1. Make, Commit Changes and Push: Make the necessary changes to the codebase using your preferred editor or IDE. Once you’re done with the changes, stage them for commit using the following command:
        git add .
        git commit -m "Your commit message"
        git push origin new-branch-name
  1. Submit the Pull Request: Go to your forked repository on GitHub and switch to the branch you just pushed. Click the “New Pull Request” button to create a new pull request.
  2. Describe and Submit the Pull Request: Provide a clear and concise description of the changes you’ve made in the pull request. Add any relevant information or context that can help the project maintainers understand your contribution. Once you’re ready, click the “Create Pull Request” button to submit it.
  3. Engage in Discussions: Keep an eye on the pull request for any feedback or comments from the project maintainers. Respond to any requested changes or address any concerns they might have. Engaging in discussions is important to refine and improve your contribution.
  4. Merge the Pull Request: Once the project maintainers review and approve your pull request, they will merge it into the main branch of the original repository. Congratulations, your changes have been successfully merged!

Become an active contributor

  • Continue contributing to the project over time. Regularly check the issue tracker for new tasks or unresolved issues. Engage in discussions and help other contributors. By actively participating in the project, you can establish yourself as a valuable member of the community.

  • Remember, open-source contribution is not just about code. You can also contribute by improving documentation, writing tests, translating content, or helping with project management tasks. Find your strengths and contribute in ways that suit you best. By being an active and engaged contributor, you’ll not only contribute to the project’s success but also grow as a developer and community member.

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