Open-source is the best option if you love collaborating, discussing, and coding in a group of same-minded people. It is advised that every programmer should contribute to open-source projects to help the community.
Topics covered in this article: 📝
- What is Open Source
- Why, how to do Open Source Contribution
- Prerequisite
- How to find projects, organizations
- About Git & Github (version control)
- How to contribute your first project
What is Open Source? 🤔
Open-source software is computer software that is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any purpose. Open-source software may be developed in a collaborative public manner.
Why Open Source? 🧑💻
- Improve Coding Skills a lot.
- Work with big organizations
- Sharing/knowing ideas that you can never think of on your own.
- Increase your network & peer group ( Like Minded people)
- Paid Job Opportunity
- Participate in Open Source programs and stipend earn
- Showing the world that you know something.
Prerequisite of Open Source? 🧑💻
You don't have to be an EXPERT. ✨
- Know about Version Control (Git & GitHub)
- Programming Language you choice
- Techstack your choice
Techstack: Web Development, Mobile Development, Blockchain, Machine Learning, Cloud, DevOps, Kubnetics, iOs, etc whatever you want.
How to find projects, and organizations? 🧑💻
- Google, Github, etc Some tips: Be active on Linkedin, from there you can definitely know in advance.
Some Important Links:
- tapaswenipathak/Open-Source-Programs
- Some Winter Open Source programs beginner friendly
What is Git & GitHub 🧑💻
Git:
In Git, version control tracks down every change in any file, which can be easily pushed to the master. Since every change is tracked down, it becomes easy to go back to the previous code if there is a bug in the new code; otherwise, there will be a lot of trouble in manually removing code, making it compatible with the previous code again. With the help of Git, every developer can work on a different branch and, after approval, can merge into the master.
Suppose you are working in a group of developers on a single project. There is an original project file (let's called it master). Each developer has a duplicate copy of the master, and everyone is working on different features. After each developer has completed his work, it's time to add the source code to the master.
GitHub:
Git provides control over the source code, and GitHub is a platform that uses git version control to upload open source projects to their cloud for sharing code with others. Git is local, and GitHub is cloud-based.
Some Important Links:
- Video about Git & GitHub of Kunal Kushwaha
- Some more knowledge about Git & GitHub
- Git & GitHub Cheatsheet by Atlassian
✨ Some GitHub Terms:
Repository: Repositories in GIT contain a collection of files of various different versions of a Project. A repository is created by users; it contains all project files and each file’s revision history.
Issue: Issues are bug, enhancement, or feature requests. Most of the time, user products create an issue to address the problem to developers.
In the beginning, you need to search: goodfirstissue , easy or like these tag.
Pull Request: Pull request is created for the change in code or documentation that is ready to merge into master after approval by the maintainer of the repository. Changes can be discussed and asked for changes before merging into the repository.
✨ Some beginner-friendly commands or process of Git & GitHub to contribute Open Source :
Written by Amit Maity. Linkedin, Github, Twitter, Portfolio Website.