My Journey into Open Source: First Contributions and Lessons Learned

Are you familiar with open-source software? It's free to use, with its code out in the open for anyone to view, tweak, and even add their own features! If you’ve got coding skills (which, let’s be honest, you probably do 😄), then open-source projects can be your playground to experiment, build, and contribute.

In recent years, open-source has blown up in the best way possible. More projects than ever are being created by and for the community, constantly evolving thanks to developers worldwide.

My Journey 🌱

Since 2022, I’ve wanted to jump into open-source, but at first, I found the massive codebases and intricate organization of files totally overwhelming. Plus, my hardware couldn’t handle spinning up those demanding development servers smoothly. So, my first steps into the open-source world were baby steps.

Then, I came across Cal.com, a fantastic open-source project for scheduling meetings and managing tasks (super useful for productivity!). I knew the basics of Git but wasn’t quite there with forking, merging branches, and all the intricate Git processes. After some YouTube tutorials, I started to get the hang of things. 😅

I forked Cal.com, cloned it locally, and attempted to run it…but my computer said nope and crashed. Several tries later, I gave up on my trusty old setup and left Cal.com on the back burner.

Fast forward a year—new PC, new vibes, and I felt that itch to contribute to open source again. I re-cloned Cal.com, but while it technically worked, the lag was real. So, it was time to explore other, less intensive repos.

The First Real Contribution 🌟

That’s when I stumbled upon Formbricks. Formbricks is a powerful form and survey app (think Google Forms but with more oomph). Browsing their GitHub issues, I found a request for a “Last Used” indicator on the login page—perfect for users who can’t remember their last login method.

I forked the repo, cloned it, and to my relief, the dev server ran without a hitch! I implemented the feature using local storage to save and retrieve the user’s login method. Unsure if my approach was ideal, I created a pull request (PR)—although I did accidentally push straight to the main branch, oops! After a late-night coding session, I hit submit and went to bed. 😴

The next morning, my inbox greeted me with an email confirming my PR was merged! Not gonna lie, I wasn’t expecting it, but it felt awesome to make that first real contribution.

Keeping the Ball Rolling 💪

Motivated, I started tackling other Formbricks issues, fixing minor bugs and adding requested features. I even spotted a few ways to improve the app and submitted PRs for those too. It’s just the beginning of my open-source journey, but I’m already learning so much, and I’m stoked for what’s next.

Final Thoughts 🌍

Open source is such a cool way to level up your skills, contribute to something bigger, and get real-world experience. With each contribution, I'm growing as a developer and connecting with amazing communities. I’m excited for what’s next, and if you’re thinking about contributing, dive in—the water’s great! Happy coding!

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