Open source is a key that can open numerous doors: incredible learning opportunities, career advantages, and influence on the entire industry.
Every software engineer inevitably uses open-source software but rarely contributes to its development. Let's change that! Transitioning from being an open-source consumer to an active participant may seem daunting, but the rewards are substantial.
This course covers everything you need to start making meaningful contributions to existing open-source projects. By the end of the course, you will learn:
- Understand all the benefits of contributing to open source
- Get into the right mindset for working in open source
- Learn to understand new code
- Master code editing skills and be able to make changes
You will learn directly from the former Open Source Program Manager at Meta. James also runs his own major open-source project. The course includes:
Open Source Terminology
We will cover terms you have probably already heard: projects, repositories, issues, and pull requests. We will discuss what open source actually is and why it is so important for the industry and for you personally.
How to Find Your Contribution in Open Source
Considering that many organizations and people are involved in open source, it can be challenging to decide where exactly to contribute. Here we will discuss several key ideas:
- Find something you use (and may not even realize it's open-source)
- Identify companies that are actively involved in open-source development
- Assess the state of the project to avoid wasting your time
Reading Code
We will cover tips and methods to help you understand a large project: how to grasp the basics, the most important modules, and master the social aspect of participating in open source.
We will also discuss recommended steps for making changes and submitting commits. Ideally, your contributions will be reviewed quickly, helping you build trust with the project's authors.
