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How to Open Source: The missing open source handbook for new contributors

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Contributing to open source can be scary, but it doesn't have to be. This is the missing handbook that will guide you from making your first contribution to building a sustainable practice.

Developers tell me...

  1. "I don't have time."
  2. "I've tried, and it didn't work."
  3. "Working in public is scary."
  4. "I'm not experienced enough."
  5. "It's too overwhelming to start."
  6. "I need a beginning issue."
  7. "I couldn't get the maintainer's attention."


If you resonate with any of the above, don’t worry. A lot of developers struggle with these things. In fact, you are part of the majority. These are the issues keeping MOST people from hitting their contribution goals despite their best intentions. The good news is, they can all be mitigated. How to Open Source covers all of that in the book. Don't think you can do this at all because you simply don't have the time? Download this free chapter and see how others fit contribution time into their schedule.

Sounds great. What topics are covered exactly?

  1. Go beyond simple "how to" tasks to understand WHY contributors are successful.
  2. Find your next contribution opportunity with "COIL" - a four-step repeatable framework.
  3. Use concepts such as "floss one tooth" and "bat 300" to get over mental barriers and inertia to get started and keep going.
  4. Shift from a mindset of "beginner issue" to "beginning action".
  5. Move issues and bug reports along by increasing the quality of reproduction instructons.
  6. Write A+ documentation, even for code you didn't write.
  7. Maximize your chance in getting your pull request merged..
  8. Apply non-violent communication principles and navigate conversations that get tense.
  9. See real life examples on how other people fit open source time into their jobs.
  10. Sustain your contributions beyond one commit to achieve lasting impact.

About the Author: Richard Schneeman

Richard Schneeman thumbnail

Richard Schneeman is a US software engineer (formerly at Heroku and Salesforce) and one of the most-cited independent voices on the open-source contribution craft — particularly around the Ruby on Rails ecosystem where he is a long-running core contributor.

His CourseFlix listing carries How to Open Source — The Missing Open Source Handbook — a structured treatment of the open-source contribution path from finding projects through becoming a recognised contributor, drawn from Richard's decade-plus of work in the Ruby and Rails communities.

Material is paid and aimed at engineers ready to make open-source contribution a deliberate part of their career. For broader content, see CourseFlix's Career & Interviews category page.

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Frequently asked questions

What is How to Open Source: The missing open source handbook for new contributors about?
Contributing to open source can be scary, but it doesn't have to be. This is the missing handbook that will guide you from making your first contribution to building a sustainable practice.
Who teaches this course?
It is taught by Richard Schneeman. You can find more courses by this instructor on the corresponding source page.
How long is the course?
It is delivered as a self-paced online course on CourseFlix.
Is it free to watch?
It is part of CourseFlix's premium catalog. A subscription unlocks the full video player; the course description, table of contents, and preview information are available to everyone.
Where can I watch it online?
The course is available to watch online on CourseFlix at https://courseflix.net/course/how-to-open-source-the-missing-open-source-handbook-for-new-contributors. The page hosts every lesson with the integrated video player; no download is required.