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This week we had a wonderful community call, From Novice to Contributor: Making and Supporting First-Time Contributions to FOSS, where Sunny Tseng, Pascal Burkhard, and Yaoxiang Li shared with us their experiences with, and advice for, first time contributors, with the excellent moderation of Hugo Gruson.
This was a perfect start to our special series of activities to support first time contributors to Open Source Software.
Our next two activities, Coworking Mini-Hackathons for First-Time Contributors, will take place February 4th 2025 1-3 UTC and March 4th 2025 13-15 UTC (see below for details), but first, let’s review what we learned from this Community Call.
Community call
Our three panellists each shared different experiences and perspectives on making contributions to open source software.
Sunny and Pascal shared their experiences with getting involved, Pascal and Yaoxiang shared technical tips for git and testing, and all three offered advice for first time contributors.
Sunny focused on her journey making her first R package, bbsTaiwan as part of the rOpenSci Champions Program and Pascal shared his experiences as a first time contributor to the babelquarto package after being a long-time solo user of git.
Then Yaoxiang rounded out our call with advice for first-time contributors on the importance of including tests and how to deal with different testing situations, referring to his experience with medrxivr.
Sunny recommended that you have a plan for your contributions, but remain flexible as things change or don’t proceed as you may have expected.
Both Sunny and Pascal pointed out that they found git to be less scary than they expected once they got started, and that they learned so much while collaborating with others.
Among other technical suggestions, Pascal and Yaoxiang both commented that starting small and using good descriptions can be really helpful, whether for git commit messages or code tests.
Mini-hackathons
Hopefully this community call has inspired you to get involved open source software.
If you’re curious about contributing to Open Source Software, and would like some support to get started, our coworking mini-hackathons are for you!
We’ll be hosting two events, the first on February 4th 2025 1-3 UTC and the second on March 4th 2025 13-15 UTC.
During these session you’ll join others making contributions to R packages while package maintainers and other mentors are available ’live’ to answer questions and give guidance.
We’ll also have a special Slack channel ready as a place for asynchronous questions during the event and in the week following.
These collaborative events are designed to help first-time contributors get started with open-source projects.
Whether you’re improving documentation, reviewing translations, fixing bugs, or adding new features, our mentors will guide you every step of the way.
No prior experience required. Non-first time contributors are very welcome too—just bring your curiosity and enthusiasm!
Note that this event requires registration.
Please fill out this short form to sign up.
We’ll send out reminders, some information to get you started, and a Zoom link closer to the date.
Resources
- Community Call – Jan 20 2025 – From Novice to Contributor: Making and Supporting First-Time Contributions to FOSS (Including video)
- Blog Post – Oct 22 2024 – Looking for Maintainers to Support First-Time Contributors
- rOpenSci Coworking
- rOpenSci Events
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Continue reading: Coworking Mini-Hackathon for First-Time Contributors
The Future of Open Source Contributions: Insights from the FOSS Community Call
In a recent webinar themed “From Novice to Contributor: Making and Supporting First-Time Contributions to FOSS,” industry experts Sunny Tseng, Pascal Burkhard, and Yaoxiang Li shared their first-hand experiences and advice for novice contributors. The session, moderated by Hugo Gruson, served as the opening of a series of activities to support first-time contributors to Open Source Software and offers valuable insights on the future of open source contributions.
Key Takeaways and Future Implications
During the call, the panellists each shared unique experiences and perspectives, extending valuable advice to newcomers in the field. The first-time contributors offered their candid insights that could essentially drive the future development of the open-source ecosystem.
Focus on Improving Skills
Sunny discussed the importance of planning while also staying versatile as things may not always go as expected. She reiterated the need for new contributors to develop their skills, something she learned while creating her first R package, which fosters a culture of continuous learning in the open source industry.
Collaboration and User-friendly Tools
Pascal’s experiences underlined the importance of collaboration in open source projects, suggesting that the future of open source contributions could involve more collaborative efforts. He stressed the benefit of user-friendly tools like git, which he found to be less intimidating than anticipated and incredibly helpful for collaborations.
Technical Expertise and Descriptive Communication
Yaoxiang advocated the importance of including tests and dealing in diverse testing situations, using his experiences with medrxivr as an example. His advice hints at the importance of technical prowess in successful open source contributions. Both Pascal and Yaoxiang also emphasized the value of detailed and descriptive communication, whether for commit messages or code tests. This could influence the culture of open communication and diligence in open source contributions.
Long-Term Implications and Future Developments
The trends mentioned above suggest that the open-source community continues to evolve towards inclusivity, collaboration, technical mastery, and transparent communication. The field will likely become more welcoming for first-time contributors, continuously facilitate skill growth, encourage collaboration, and promote diligent, descriptive communication.
Actionable Advice for Future Contributors
- Plan your contributions but remain adaptable as situations may change
- Take advantage of user-friendly tools like git for collaboration.
- Utilize descriptive communication in your contributions, whether for commit messages or code tests.
- Do not overlook the significance of technical skills, especially for conducting tests.
Looking Forward: Coworking Mini-Hackathons for First-Time Contributors
rOpenSci is hosting Coworking Mini-Hackathons for First-Time Contributors in February and March of 2025. These events are a great opportunity for novice contributors to learn and explore the world of open source. They can get hands-on experience, benefit from live mentors, and connect with a supportive community. The move towards such inclusive events further highlights the future development of the open-source world – that of embracing first-time contributors and providing them with the necessary support.
Final Thoughts
The open-source community is heading towards a more inclusive and collaborative future. The insights shared by Sunny, Pascal, and Yaoxiang are not only inspiring for novices but also indicate the direction in which open-source contributions are moving. By offering ample support to first-time contributors, we can foster a richer and more diverse community, driving innovation and technological advancements.