Contributing to Node Core

JaxNode March 2018

Why would you want to contribute to an OSS project? 

Node.js OSS History

• Started by Ryan Dahl in 2009
• Sponsored by Joyent
• Community forked IO.js in 2014
• IO.js and Node merged back in 2015
• Initially had 2 committees, CSC & TSC
• Both committees merged into one, TSC
• There has been some Drama

James M Snell

Node OSS Stats

• 133 Repos
• 283 Users Commit access
• 1927 Users contributed
• Over 21,000 commits

Ways to contribute

• File a an Issue
• Unit Tests
• Documentation
• Modules
• Node Core
• Blog/medium Posts
• User Group Presentation

Node Core

• github.com/nodejs/node
• Combination of C++ and JS
• Mostly JS
• V8 default engine
• LIBUV used to manage async and event loop

JS Engines

• Node.js was built on top of V8
• Sometimes Node would break with new V8 releases
• As of last year, V8 can no longer break Node
• V8 added new interpreter and compiler toolchain
• Igniter and TurboFan
• Node can also use Chakra Core
• V8 and Chakra Core both conform to a Node Interface

Look at Source and Build

• git clone https://github.com/nodejs/node.git
• Need GCC or LLVM compatible
• ./configure
• make -j4

Folder Structure

• /benchmark
• /deps
• /doc
• /lib
• /source
• /test
• /tools

Important folders

• /doc => Documentation on nodejs.org/api
• /lib => JS Code
• /src => C++ code
• /test => Unit tests

Node.js does not have a strategic roadmap

Module Development

• Node made up of Core Modules
• Move to remove some modules from Core
• Most modules actually come from NPM
• HTTP/2 recently added to Core
• Express has been modified to work with HTTP/2
• Almost all NPM modules Open Source

Where find work to be done

• Github issues
• API Documentation
• Node Todo website

Donate Hardware

Where is Help Needed

• APIs need promises
• async await
• ES6 Modules
• Async-Hook
• Workers (think Web Workers)
• Static Error Codes
• Better i18n
• Improved Native Modules (N-API)

How Do I Submit Changes

• Fork the Github Repo
• Read the CONTRIBUTING.md and CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md docs
• Test
• Make a pull request
• Code Review and changes

Typical Linux Kernel Commit

Because if you want me to "act professional", I can tell you that I'm not interested. I'm sitting in my home office wearing a bathrobe. The same way I'm not going to start wearing ties, I'm *also* not going to buy into the fake politeness, the lying, the office politics and backstabbing, the passive aggressiveness, and the buzzwords. Because THAT is what "acting professionally" results in: people resort to all kinds of really nasty things because they are forced to act out their normal urges in unnatural ways.

- Linus Torvalds

Node Reviewers Nicer

• They should be helpful
• Use the Style Guide
• Be Professional
• css-tricks.com/code-review-etiquette/

Nodejs.org

• Node.js website also on Github
• If you speak foreign language, could use internalization help 
• Built using Metalsmith

Working Groups

• Node.js WGs have their own Repo
• Usually have scheduled meetings over Google+
• WG include committees on subjects such as Benchmarking, Testing, Diversity, Express and Security
• Many more...

Node.js Collection

• Online Node.js Magazine
• Full disclosure, I am an editor
• Runs on Medium
• Submit your post to Node.js Collection

Other Notable OSS Projects

• React and React Native
• Angular.js
• Babel
• .NET Core
• Swift Language
• Ruby On Rails
• Jaxnode.com
• Pick a NPM Package
• Create Your Own

Questions?

Contact Me

• David Fekke
• David Fekke at gmail dot com
• Skype: davidfekke
• Twitter @jaxnode