Use the source
Join the force
A quick guide to contributing to Open Source Software
HI, I'm STEVE
https://github.com/sphere-group/sphere
Apache HTTP Server
WHY SHOULD YOU?
Sharing is caring
Sharing code is sharing knowledge. Let's make the human race smarter together!
Learning
You can learn a lot by reading code from good well-maintained projects. But you can also learn more through your interactions with other contributors.
Fame and glory
Companies now look for open source contributions in applicant resumes. Being a popular open source contributor can open up opportunities.
Scratching an itch
You found a bug or a missing feature in an open source library you've been using. You don't need to wait for the next version for a fix/feature. Patch or extend it yourself!
Make a living
Being an open source developer is a viable career nowadays.
Crowdfunding through Kickstarter
Patreon support
Bounty driven development
Metafizzy's Isotope dual license
Discourse SaaS
BIg companies
A lot of big companies support open source development.
I asked a few open source developers the same question...
rico sta cruz
because it's code you will write for your work anyway, why not share it with the world :P
Jeff lindsay
I contribute to open source because it’s all building blocks. I want blocks that I can use freely. And good blocks are too small to not be open source anyway.
DANIEL ROY GREENFELD
Open source means I'm working with excellent people from all over the planet. We get to learn and grow together, and improve the world while we are at it.
Finding projects
YOU'RE STARING AT IT
You don't need to look far! You can always contribute to open source projects you already use.
EXPLORE &
Follow people
You can always find the latest trending projects in GitHub from their Explore page. But you can also follow people you know or look up to for a feed of projects they star. It also gives you clue of what they're up to in case you want to collaborate!
Newsletters
Newsletters that list trending news are common nowadays. Some tech newsletters feature noteworthy open source projects. My favorite is The Changelog which focuses on Open Source. They also have Changelog Nightly which sends you a daily digest of the upcoming open source projects.
how can you contribute?
Contribute code
The primary way to contribute to open source software is through code. Fixing bugs, implementing features, refactoring, adding tests, etc.
Tip: Always check for the contributing guidelines!
Filing bugs and feature requests
Testing software is hard. A bug report for an edge case can be really helpful for project maintainers. Feature requests aid in figuring out the direction of a project.
Documentation
Although often neglected, documentation is an integral for a successful open source project. Don't make light of typo commits!
support
Maintainers will sometimes fail to answer queries of people using their projects. You can help out by answering for them if you know what's up.
DESIGN
Developers the also do Design
ARE CALLED
UNICORNS
donate
Monetary support is also an option for those who don't have the time.
Manners maketh man
William of Wykeham
EOF
Use the source. Join the force!
By Mark Steve Samson
