Collaborating on Open Source - NewCrafts Paris 2019

How I Started contributing to Open Source and Why You Should Too

There are several reasons you might want to contribute to open source software. For me, it was that I wanted to learn in a more useful way than doing programming challenges. So I looked into how I could contribute to open source projects that I use myself.
After contributing for almost two years, I notice that I have learned a lot from my contributions (which has been useful at work), as well as have made friends and have become part of a community.

In this talk I will share my experience with contributing to Cucumber, including an early mistake (merging something that wasn’t ready yet) and fixing it with the support of core contributors, and still feeling welcome!
You’ll learn how how to find your project and contributions to start with, how to connect with the community to make sure your contributions are useful and the many types of contributions you can make.

Contributing to open source is a way of giving back to the community. In addition, it is a way for you to learn, collaborate and become part of a community. Getting (constructive) feedback on a pull request and collaborating to make things even better is a great feeling!

Transcript

1. @MaritvanDijk77 github.com/mlvandijk medium.com/@mlvandijk Collaborating on Open Source Software NewCrafts Paris, 17 May 2019
2. About me •Technical Test Engineer at bol.com (NL) •Core contributor to Cucumber •Organizer European Testing Conference @MaritvanDijk77
3. Open source software •Who uses open source? •Who contributes? @MaritvanDijk77
4. Open source software •Who uses open source? •Who contributes? •Who doesn’t contribute (yet) but would like to? @MaritvanDijk77
5. Goal of this talk Get one (or more!) of you to do their first open source Pull Request (PR) @MaritvanDijk77
6. This talk •How I got started •What you can do (code AND not code) •How to get started @MaritvanDijk77
7. How I got started •Work on a “real” project (vs coding challenges): •Learn new things •Do something useful @MaritvanDijk77
8. Reasons to contribute •Learning •Give back / Feel useful •“Scratch an itch” (fix something you need) •Build CV / Portfolio •Network •Other? @MaritvanDijk77
9. Why Cucumber? •Started: I liked using it •Stayed: The community @MaritvanDijk77
10. What to contribute: Code •Fix bugs •Add new features @MaritvanDijk77
11. What to contribute: Code •Fix bugs •Add new features // TODO @MaritvanDijk77
12. What to contribute: Code •Fix bugs •Add new features •Refactor @MaritvanDijk77
13. What to contribute: Code •Fix bugs •Add new features •Refactor •Add unit tests @MaritvanDijk77
14. What to contribute: Code •Fix bugs •Add new features •Refactor •Add unit tests •Upgrade dependencies (Protip: Use tools to scan - https://snyk.io/) @MaritvanDijk77
15. What to contribute: Code •Fix bugs •Add new features •Refactor •Add unit tests •Upgrade dependencies •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
16. What to contribute: Not code @MaritvanDijk77
17. What to contribute: Not code •Help the community •Documentation •Issues •Testing •Other: Design, Product owner, etc. •Ask! @MaritvanDijk77
18. Help the community •Answer questions •Slack •Gitter •Mailing list •IRC •Protip: Consider adding that info to the documentation! @MaritvanDijk77
19. Documentation •Fix typos •Fix dead links •Provide feedback •Edit for clarity •Add missing info •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
20. Documentation •Fix typos •Fix dead links •Provide feedback •Edit for clarity •Add missing info •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
21. Documentation •Fix typos •Fix dead links •Provide feedback •Edit for clarity •Add missing info •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
22. Documentation •Fix typos •Fix dead links •Provide feedback •Edit for clarity •Add missing info •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
23. Documentation •Fix typos •Fix dead links •Provide feedback •Edit for clarity •Add missing info •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
24. Documentation •Fix typos •Fix dead links •Provide feedback •Edit for clarity •Add missing info •Review PR’s @MaritvanDijk77
25. Issues •Report issues • Ask if not sure • Check for duplicates • Provide relevant information: use template (or add one!) • Create an MCVE (https://stackoverflow.com/help/mcve) •Reproduce and add info (or tests!) •Triage & label issues @MaritvanDijk77
26. Testing •Test a bugfix •Test a new feature •Test a new release •”Test” documentation / tutorials @MaritvanDijk77
27. What to contribute: Not time @MaritvanDijk77
28. What to contribute: Not time @MaritvanDijk77
29. What to contribute: Not time •Most projects run on volunteers •You (or your employer) can donate money •https://opencollective.com/ •https://sfconservancy.org/ •https://www.patreon.com/ •https://tidelift.com/ •Etc. @MaritvanDijk77
30. Reasons not to contribute •It’s scary! •Feelings of inadequacy •Limitations: legal, time, etc. •Poor feedback / communication •Bad actors @MaritvanDijk77
31. How to get started •Find a project •Check how to contribute to that project •Pick a task •Set up your environment (if needed) •Collaborate! @MaritvanDijk77
32. Get started: Find a project •A project you use: •You care •You’re already familiar! @MaritvanDijk77
33. Get started: Find a project •Websites: •https://github.com/collections/choosing-projects •https://hacktoberfest.digitalocean.com/ (oktober) •https://www.codetriage.com/ •https://up-for-grabs.net/#/ •https://www.firsttimersonly.com/ •https://opensource.guide/ •http://yourfirstpr.github.io/ @MaritvanDijk77
34. Get started: Find a project •Focus on welcoming communities •Observe interactions (support, feedback, onboarding) @MaritvanDijk77
35. Get started: How •README •CONTRIBUTING (a.k.a. HACKING) •LICENCE (a.k.a. COPYING) •Code of Conduct •Styleguides •Ask! @MaritvanDijk77
36. Get started: What •Solve your own problem J •Check for “Good first issue” or similar •Ask! @MaritvanDijk77
37. Get started: Environment •Setup your environment •Git / version control •Programming environment (JDK, …) •Package manager (Maven, npm, …) •Fork & clone the project •See if you can build the project •If not: ask (protip: add that info to docs!) @MaritvanDijk77
38. Get started: Your first PR •Work on your contribution •Submit your contribution •Receive feedback & iterate •Contribution accepted! •Ask / communicate https://guides.github.com/introduction/flow/ https://lab.github.com/courses @MaritvanDijk77
39. Contribution accepted! @MaritvanDijk77
40. TL;DR •Contributing to open source doesn’t have to take a lot of time or programming skill •If you want to contribute, but don’t know how – ask the community! •Please go and create your (first) PR @MaritvanDijk77
41. @MaritvanDijk77 github.com/mlvandijk medium.com/@mlvandijk Collaborating on Open Source Software