OSS Project

First timer contributions are normally very small and easy (One recent first-timers-only issue was literally three lines of simple changes! And the changes were described in great detail and tested by the project maintainer). But this makes it easier for the contributor to get the hang of the contribution process rather than the contribution itself. Remember, this isn’t as much about getting your project features implemented quickly as it is about helping first timers.

Why is YAL (yet another label) like first-timers-only important? Because it makes a statement that first timers are welcome, that they are valued, and that they can start contributing to your project! Often the hard part of getting into open source for the first time isn’t the implementation of a feature, but figuring out how to actually contribute code such that the pull request is accepted! But, oh the feeling of accomplishment when your first PR is merged!

Contribute on Open Source

• Find a project to contribute to

Contributing to open source happens at all levels, across projects and design, documentation, operations and code. You don’t need to overthink what exactly your first contribution will be, or how it will look

• A project you already use

Start by thinking about the projects you already use or want to use. The projects you’ll actively contribute to are the ones you find yourself coming back to.

• An issue you can fix

• A warm welcome

Find a project that has a history and reputation for being welcoming to new contributors in GitHub’s great for new contributors showcase.

What Motivates a Developer to Contribute to Open-Source Software?

• Improve Coding Skills

• Gain Early Experience

• Increase Community and Peer Recognition

• Greater Job Prospects

• Improve Software on a User and Business Level.