The Power of Contributing to Open Source Projects

In today's digital age, open source projects have become a fundamental part of the software development ecosystem. Contributing to open source projects not only benefits the individual developer, but also the broader community. In this article, we will explore the dos and don'ts, effects, both positive and negative. However, we end with a question; Are open source projects good for self taught or class taught developers, which is which?

The Dos and Don'ts

When it comes to contributing to open source projects, it's important to understand the best practices. Some dos include:

Research and understand the project before contributing

Engage with the community and ask questions

Follow the project's guidelines and coding standards

Contribute meaningful and valuable content

On the other hand, there are also don'ts to keep in mind:

Don't contribute without understanding the project and its goals

Avoid pushing unnecessary changes or features

Never plagiarize or copy code without proper attribution

Positive Effects

Contributing to open source projects can have a plethora of positive effects. Firstly, it allows developers to improve their skills and gain valuable experience by working on real-world projects. Additionally, it enhances their visibility in the developer community, and even opens up job opportunities as companies often look for candidates with open source contributions. Furthermore, contributing to open source projects fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing within the community, leading to innovation and the advancement of technology.

Negative Effects

While contributing to open source projects can be incredibly rewarding, there are potential negative effects to consider. For instance, it can be time-consuming, especially if contributors become overly involved or struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Moreover, there may be instances of encountering unconstructive criticism or negativity within the community, which can be disheartening. It's important for contributors to remain resilient and seek support from their peers during such times.

Conclusion

All in all, all developers look forward to working in big tech companies that require experience for one to be given a role. But the fact that whether self taught or class taught we all end up with one end problem or enemy, and that's experience. Personally, at first i always thought that being a self taught developer has given me a lot of experience because of the fall,fail,stand method used either directly or indirectly by almost if not all self taught developers but on contributing on a certain open source project, my code was put on pending for six months now, no reviews, no recommendations and no assertions. So, this leaves me with a question, Are open source projects for newbies or experienced developers?

I would love to hear your thoughts on open source contributions. Feel free to share your experiences or ask any questions in the comments section below.

Let's start a conversation and inspire others to get involved in open source!