Advice on Contributing to Open Source Projects

Hey guys… :wave:

I am relatively new to the world of open source and eager to dive in and contribute. I’ve been following the work that Foss United is doing and I am truly inspired by the community’s commitment to collaboration and innovation.

I have a background in software development, particularly in Python and JavaScript, and I am currently looking for projects that could benefit from my skills. However, I am unsure where to start. I have browsed through a few repositories and noticed that many projects have issues labeled “good first issue” or similar tags but I would love some guidance on how to effectively choose the right project that aligns with my interests and skill set.

Additionally… I am curious about best practices for making meaningful contributions. What steps should I take to ensure that my contributions are valuable? Any tips on engaging with project maintainers and the community would also be greatly appreciated.

I also check this: https://forum.fossunited.org/t/can-i-contribute-to-my-own-project-in-foss-hackqlikview But I have not found any solution. Could anyone guide me about this?

Thanks in advance!

Respected community member! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

You could try browsing the website or repo of any software you use (and like), such as your favourite music player or favourite distro. Websites of most free software will have a get involved section or there will be a CONTRIBUTING/HACKING file on the repo.

Software developed by a community such as GNOME or KDE or Debian might be good place to start, since they have good documentation and mature Code of Conduct.