How to smash the Open-Source beginner loop

How to smash the Open-Source beginner loop

·

4 min read

Open-source has a way of making your resume stand out. It shows that you can work with multiple people in a team. It also a chance to pitch yourself to companies you want to eventualy work for by working on their code base.
Key point is BE CONSISTENT. You will be ahead of the curve.

  • First. You need a GitHub account. Here is an article to help you set up. Set up Git.

  • Then you need to decide if you want to start your project or work on an existing project. I will mainly focus on helping you work on an existing project.

  • For existing projects, you can work on one as a volunteer or get paid for it.

    1. Volunteer. This is when you decide you want to contribute to projects already in GitHub. You can use the following resources to start you up.
      First Contributions
      Y Combinator (Some startups have been through Y combinator which is creating open-source tools for developers. You can offer to help there as well.

    2. Paid Opportunities. This is where you get paid to contribute to open-source projects. Here is an awesome Twitter link that breaks them down step by step.
      Internship programs

You are all step now what's next? contributing🥳

  • Pick the project. I used the first contributions. I used the search word python to pick a project in a language am comfortable in.

  • I ended up picking an open-source project for a company called SALT.

  • The good thing about open-source projects they have categories. If you are fully new you can start on documentation or issues labeled firts-timers/ good first issue. They're easier to solve compared to the rest.

  • Once you have picked an issue. Click on it and confirm if you can work on it.

  • Once the owner gives the go-ahead you now start by forking the project. Fork means you create a copy of the repo hence allowing you to play around with the repo without affecting the original project.

  • You will notice in GitHub that you will have a similar project as SALT. This will happen once forked has occurred.

  • Create a branch. Branches are used to diverge your project from the main repo hence allowing you not to make crazy changes to your main branch without ensuring that everything is in order.
    There 2 ways to create branches. On your local machine using GitHub commands or still in Github you can do it.

    Now we are all set. It is time to get the repo to your local machine.

  • Clone the repo. cloning means you're downloading a copy of the code from a specific source.
    There 2 ways to clone. I will share both. You can work with SSH or HTTPS as shown below.

  • Copy the URL manually then open your terminal.

  • Once it is properly installed, launch VS-code (It's a type of IDE). Feel free to try out others such as sublime.

  • Then you set. Start coding and making changes to the repo.

  • What I like about SALT is that they have documentation ready to start you off in your contributions. If you navigate through the search bar you will find a file called contributing.rst that details how you can start contributing with them.

  • Once you are done contributing add and commit the changes to the repo. Github Commands for that.

  • Then git push all your changes back to GitHub.

      If you using zsh 
      It has fun commands. 
      ggpush
    

    Otherwise, stick to <remote> <branch>.

  • Make a PR request. PRs let the maintainer know that you have made changes to a branch in the repo.

  • If it's in order the maintainer will approve it and add it to the main branch.

Just like that you did your 1st Pull Request.😎
FEW NOTES.
1. Remember to be an awesome engineer alot of reading needs to happen.
2. Google has to be your best friend. Let me say ChatGPT.
3. Learning is a continuous progress.
4. Be patient with yourself.
5. The fact that you made it this far you are awesome.

HAPPY CODING 🤩