Choosing the Right Open Source Project to Contribute to

Open Source projects are software projects that make their source code available to the public. This allows developers to study, modify, and distribute the code for any purpose, including commercial use. If you're looking to contribute to an Open Source project, there are several ways to find them. In this blog, I'll discuss some tips and tricks for finding Open Source projects that match your interests and skill set.

Methods for Discovering Open-Source Projects

1. Explore online repositories: One of the easiest ways to find Open Source projects is to explore online repositories such as GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. These platforms host thousands of Open Source projects that cover a wide range of technologies and domains. You can search for projects based on keywords, programming languages, and popularity. You can also filter projects by issues, pull requests, stars, and forks to find active projects that need contributions. I'll discuss this in detail later on...

2. Look for projects that align with your interests: To find Open Source projects that you are interested in, start by identifying your interests and hobbies. Do you enjoy web development, data science, or game development? Are you passionate about environmental issues, social justice, or education? Once you have a list of your interests, you can search for Open Source projects that align with them. This way, you can contribute to projects that you are passionate about, and that can keep you motivated.

3. Attend Open Source conferences and events: Open Source conferences and events are great places to meet other developers and learn about new projects. You can attend talks, workshops, and hackathons to network and collaborate with like-minded individuals. Many Open Source conferences also host project showcases and lightning talks, where you can learn about the latest trends and innovations in the Open Source world.

4. Join Open Source Communities: Another way to find Open Source projects is to join Open Source communities on forums, Slack, Discord, and social media. These communities connect developers, contributors, and maintainers, who can help you find projects that match your skills and interests. You can also learn about the best practices, tools, and workflows for Open Source development and ask for feedback on your contributions.

5. Contribute to projects you already use: If you use Open Source software, consider contributing to its development. This can be as simple as reporting a bug, suggesting a feature, or writing documentation. By contributing to projects you already use, you can help make them better and gain experience with the Open Source workflow. You can also build relationships with maintainers and other contributors, which can lead to new opportunities and collaborations.

How to discover GitHub projects that align with your interests?

1. Visit GitHub sign in to your account or signup for a new account if you don't have one yet.

2. Go to your notification section and locate the search bar in the upper-left corner. Type in a keyword that aligns with your interests to discover suitable projects. A keyword can be any relevant term that describes your area of interest. For instance, if you aim to contribute to a particular software development technology, you could try entering keywords such as "JavaScript" or "DevOps".

If you try to search for the same thing in the search bar in your profile the response will be from your activities. See this;

1. You can refine your search results using filters available on the search bar. These filters enable you to narrow down your search based on programming language, number of stars (indicating the project's popularity), number of forks (signifying the number of developers who have contributed to the project), and other parameters.

Don't forget to read through the project's README file and documentation to gain a clear understanding of the project's purpose, goals, and contribution guidelines. Then, clone the project's code and run it on your local machine to familiarize yourself with its workings and identify potential areas for contribution.

If you're keen on contributing, make sure to reach out and seek guidance from the project maintainers or community to get started.

Conclusion

Finding Open Source projects is "**not difficult <<<->>> very difficult**", the approach you use to finding the project will determine your outcome, but it requires some patients, effort, and creativity. By exploring online repositories, looking for projects that align with your interests, attending conferences and events, joining Open Source communities, and contributing to projects you already use, you can discover and contribute to projects that make a difference. So, start exploring the Open Source world, and make your mark on the software industry.

PS: I started one open-source project recently, learn more here. Also, join our discord community here, and visit our GitHub org to see what we're building, you can create an issue to join our GitHub org. Please don't forget to leave a star for the project, much appreciated! Can't wait to have you onboard.