Getting Started with Open Source
ℹ️
Your Journey Begins
This section takes you from zero to your first contribution. Follow each step in order—skipping steps is the #1 cause of contributor burnout.
The Getting Started Roadmap
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ YOUR CONTRIBUTION ROADMAP │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ SELF │ │ TECHNICAL │ │ GITHUB │ │ FIND │ │
│ │ ASSESSMENT │───►│ SETUP │───►│ PROFILE │───►│ PROJECTS │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ Skills? │ │ Git, IDE │ │ Bio, SSH │ │ Filter │ │
│ │ Time? │ │ Languages │ │ Keys │ │ Evaluate │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ READ │ │ LOCAL │ │ UNDERSTAND │ │ CHOOSE │ │
│ │ DOCS │◄───│ SETUP │◄───│ CODEBASE │◄───│ ISSUE │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ README │ │ Clone, │ │ Structure │ │ good first │ │
│ │ CONTRIB │ │ Build │ │ Patterns │ │ issue │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘What You'll Learn
Prerequisites Checklist
Before diving in, make sure you have:
- A computer with admin access (for installing software)
- Reliable internet connection
- Basic programming knowledge in at least one language
- 2-5 hours per week to dedicate
- Patience and persistence mindset
The Critical Path
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CRITICAL PATH │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ WEEK 1 │
│ ══════ │
│ Day 1-2: Skills self-assessment │
│ Day 3-4: Dev environment setup │
│ Day 5-7: GitHub profile optimization │
│ │
│ WEEK 2 │
│ ══════ │
│ Day 1-2: Research and list 5-10 potential projects │
│ Day 3-4: Evaluate projects (red flags, activity, community) │
│ Day 5-7: Choose 2-3 projects to explore │
│ │
│ WEEK 3 │
│ ══════ │
│ Day 1-2: Read all documentation for project #1 │
│ Day 3-4: Clone and set up locally │
│ Day 5-7: Explore codebase, understand structure │
│ │
│ WEEK 4 │
│ ══════ │
│ Day 1-2: Find "good first issue" │
│ Day 3-7: Make your first contribution! │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Common Mistakes at This Stage
⚠️
Don't Skip Ahead
The biggest mistake is jumping straight to coding without proper setup and research.
| Mistake | Why It Fails | Better Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Jumping to code immediately | No context, likely rejected | Read all docs first |
| Ignoring skill assessment | Choosing projects too advanced | Be honest about abilities |
| Not setting up Git properly | Embarrassing commit issues | Configure git globally |
| Skipping project research | Ending up in toxic/dead projects | Spend a week researching |
| Starting with huge projects | Overwhelming, slow reviews | Start with medium-sized |
Success Metrics
By the end of this section, you should be able to answer YES to all of these:
- I know my current skill level and have chosen projects accordingly
- My dev environment is fully configured (Git, IDE, languages)
- My GitHub profile is professional and complete
- I have 2-3 projects identified that I want to contribute to
- I have read all relevant documentation for my target project
- I can clone, build, and run my target project locally
- I understand the project's code structure at a high level
- I have found at least 2-3 potential issues to work on
Time Investment
| Task | Estimated Time |
|---|---|
| Skills Assessment | 30 min |
| Dev Environment Setup | 1-2 hours |
| GitHub Profile | 30 min |
| Finding Projects | 2-3 hours |
| Reading Documentation | 1-2 hours |
| Local Setup | 1-3 hours |
| Understanding Codebase | 2-4 hours |
| Choosing Issues | 1-2 hours |
| Total | 9-17 hours |
💡
Spread It Out
Don't try to do all this in one day. Spread it over 2-3 weeks for better retention and less burnout.