Hello All,
TLDR:
I would like to contribute to an Open Source project but don’t know where to start. Do you know any cool project that need help and have an “easy” codebase?
Long Version:
I am Coding for about 4 years now and did quite a few hobby-project on my own now. I would really like to step into some OpenSource Project for a few reasons:
- I hope to learn from others on that way. See how other devs write code or maybe improve mine or something along these lines.
- More users than on private projects. If I do a project on my own, no one ever finds it. And it would be really great to see my code “in action”.
- Giving back to the community. I am using a lot of Open Source Software and would like to support the community that way.
My Problem is, I don’t know where to start. There are so many repos on GitHub/GitLab that it is hard to find something with potential, that doesn’t have a few hundred PRs waiting because there are already to many people working on it. Or Maybe I am just searching wrong. If that is the case, please give me a hint :D My skill-level is somewhere in the middle. Not terrible, but not a pro either. Because of that I would probably focus on smaller issues to get started. But I always strive to improve and get better.
My preferred languages are Python, Go or Javascript.
If anyone of you know a not to complex but cool project, that needs support, let me know.
I am happy about any feedback.
Sounds like you want to contribute to something for the sake of contributing (hopefully that’s not true). You’re skill is worth something.
Going to spew some jaded bs: Don’t pick a project that makes you sign some bullshit release, pick something that some rando started and released with no intention of monetizing. Volunteer to work on a passion project that you’re also passionate about. Not something that will be used by some 9-5 300k a year tech bro. That’s just my opinion though. “Open source” has been used by big companies to generate free labor (looking at you Adobe, etc).
Off the top of my head, the SignalK project is something I’ve wanted to volunteer for. They make some software that lets marine sensors (depth sounders, Windex, speed paddles, temp sensors, etc.) Communicate in one standard format. They built a web app with node and react as a proof of concept. It could for sure be improved. It’d be neat if it caught on because vendor lock-in is huge in marine hardware / software.
When I released my chrome extension a few years ago, someone went in and immediately send a pull request for dark mode support, then gone in a flash. I was super impressed.