How I Went From Open Source Newbie to Contributor: A Developer‘s Journey

Three years ago, I was a complete coding newbie. Today, I‘m a full-stack software engineer with contributions to major open source projects under my belt. It wasn‘t an easy journey, and I almost let self-doubt stop me from ever getting started. But I‘m so grateful I found the courage to take that first step.

In this post, I want to share my story and some lessons learned along the way, with the hope of inspiring other devs to start their own open source journeys. Trust me, if I can do it, you can too!

Falling in Love with Code

My programming journey began in 2018 when I took my first Introduction to Computer Science course in college. From the first "Hello World!", I was hooked. Over the next year, I went from complete beginner to intermediate-level programmer. I learned multiple languages, built dozens of small projects, and even competed in a few hackathons.

Here‘s a quick overview of my progression:

• Year 1: Learned fundamentals of programming with Python. Built small terminal games and scripts.
• Year 2: Learned web development with JavaScript, HTML, CSS. Built simple websites and web apps. Started competing in coding challenges on HackerRank, LeetCode.
• Year 3: Learned full-stack development with Node.js, Express, MongoDB. Built complex web applications. Placed in top 100 in multiple hackathons.

By the numbers:

• 1000+ hours spent coding
• 50+ small projects built
• 10+ web applications shipped
• 3 hackathon wins

I knew I had found my passion and wanted to pursue programming as a career. But I still doubted whether I had the skills to work on real-world, production-level code.

The Power of Open Source

That‘s when I started learning about the world of open source software. I was blown away by the fact that so much of the tech we use every day is built and maintained by communities of volunteer developers around the world.

Consider these statistics:

• 97% of applications use open source components (Synopsys, 2020)
• Open source software adds $400-500 billion per year to the global economy (Linux Foundation, 2020)
• 90%+ of IT leaders use open source for mission-critical applications (Red Hat, 2020)

But open source isn‘t just important – it‘s also an incredible opportunity for developers of all skill levels to collaborate with others, learn new technologies, and build software that matters. A recent DigitalOcean survey of over 4,300 developers found that:

• 64% contribute to open source projects at least occasionally
• 81% said participating improved their coding skills
• 74% said it helps advance their careers

I desperately wanted to become a part of this world, but I was held back by a serious case of imposter syndrome. I told myself that open source was only for "real" programmers, not beginners like me who were still struggling to implement basic algorithms.

Looking back, I can‘t believe I let that negative self-talk deprive me of this opportunity for so long. But I know I‘m not alone in feeling this way. The same DigitalOcean survey found that the #1 reason developers don‘t contribute is "I don‘t feel skilled enough to contribute" (45% of respondents).

Taking the Leap

Fast forward to 2020. I was in my final year of university, and I once again found myself drawn to the idea of making an open source contribution. I had a bit more confidence and a lot more coding experience under my belt. I decided it was now or never.

I started by finding a project that aligned with my interests and experience. As a fan of the Firefox browser and a heavy user of the built-in developer tools, I decided to focus my efforts there. Step one was getting the code base set up on my local machine. This was a daunting task as the Firefox codebase is truly massive:

• 20+ million lines of code
• 3+ GB download size
• 1000s of contributors over 20+ years

But I persevered, carefully following the build documentation until I finally had a local development copy up and running. I picked out a "good first issue" from the bug tracker – a small UI fix in the JavaScript debugger. It took me hours of digging through the codebase just to find the relevant files. I had no idea what I was doing, but I slowly pieced together a basic understanding by reading the code, inserting logging statements, and lots of trial and error.

After a couple days of hacking, I had a potential fix coded up. I was simultaneously proud of my work and terrified to actually submit it for review. I‘d never used version control collaboratively and had no idea what I was doing. Somehow I managed to create a pull request with only a few mishaps along the way. Then, I held my breath and waited.

The maintainer reviewed it the next day, and I was both excited and scared to see his feedback. There were a bunch of minor issues I had to correct, but he also gave me some encouraging words and guidance. After a couple rounds of reviews and fixes, my code was finally merged into the Firefox codebase! I literally jumped out of my seat and did a happy dance.

Gaining Momentum

That first contribution lit a fire inside me, and I was hungry for more. I started dedicating a couple hours each day to finding and fixing bugs, adding small enhancements, or writing documentation. Some key milestones from my first few months as a contributor:

• First pull request merged within 1 week of starting
• 5 pull requests merged in first month
• 100+ commits in first 3 months
• Recognized by Mozilla dev team for "going above and beyond"

Getting those first few PRs merged gave me a huge confidence boost. I still had a ton to learn, but I could now officially call myself an open source contributor. And I was starting to feel like a part of the community. I even started getting pinged for code reviews and being asked for advice by other newbie contributors.

Of course, there were still plenty of struggles and moments of frustration. I‘d often spend hours trying to decipher a cryptic piece of code, only to realize I was in completely the wrong part of the codebase. There were PRs that required major refactoring based on maintainer feedback. And I was still terrified of breaking something whenever I hit that merge button.

But I kept at it, and the more I contributed, the more comfortable I became. I learned how to navigate large codebases, write cleaner and more maintainable code, and collaborate effectively with a distributed team. My mentor patiently answered all my silly questions and taught me best practices around coding style, testing, and pull request hygiene.

The Payoff

Fast forward to today, and I‘ve made over 100 contributions to open source projects used by millions of developers worldwide. I‘ve become a trusted member of the Firefox DevTools community and even mentored a few new contributors myself. And I‘ve leveraged my open source experience into a full-time software engineering job at a top tech company.

But beyond the resume boost, the real reward has been the skills and confidence I‘ve gained along the way. Here are a few key things I‘ve learned:

1. How to dive into an unfamiliar codebase and figure out how it works
2. How to collaborate with other devs asynchronously through code reviews, issue tracking, documentation
3. How to break down a large feature or bug fix into shippable chunks
4. How to communicate my thought process and approach to problem-solving
5. How to balance coding with communication and coordination
6. How to be humble in accepting feedback and admitting when I don‘t know something

In short, I‘ve become a much better programmer and team member through my open source experience. And this is a common theme I hear from other contributors. The 2020 Stack Overflow Developer Survey found that open source is the #1 way developers learn new technologies and skills, ahead of online courses, books, and even on-the-job training.

Tips for Getting Started

I hope my story has inspired you to begin your own open source journey. To help you get started, here are a few tips based on my experience:

1. Start small. Look for projects that align with your current skills and have well-labeled beginner issues. Don‘t get discouraged if your first few PRs are just small bug fixes or docs changes. Everyone has to start somewhere!

2. Do your homework. Before diving in, read the project‘s contributor guidelines and study the codebase. Make sure you understand their development process, coding style, testing practices, etc. A good first step is to clone the repo and try to build the project locally.

3. Communicate early and often. Don‘t be afraid to ask questions or seek clarification. Most maintainers are happy to help guide newbies. When submitting a PR, clearly explain your approach and any trade-offs. Be responsive and professional in addressing review feedback.

4. Learn by doing. You‘ll make mistakes along the way – that‘s expected! Don‘t be afraid to admit when you‘re stuck. See each challenge as an opportunity to expand your skills. Over time, you‘ll gain confidence and tackle bigger and harder problems.

5. Give back and pay it forward. As you gain experience, look for ways to help others. Review PRs, triage issues, update documentation. Share your knowledge and mentor new contributors. Open source is all about community and collaboration.

And remember, open source participation is not just about code! There are many ways to contribute, from design and UX to community management and event planning. Find a project and niche that aligns with your skills and interests.

You Belong Here

Imposter syndrome is real, and I still battle it to this day. But the more I‘ve contributed to open source, the more I‘ve realized that everyone feels it to some degree – even the most prolific and respected maintainers. The truth is, there is no magic credential that makes you "ready" to be an open source contributor. The community welcomes developers of all backgrounds and skill levels.

So if you‘re holding yourself back because you don‘t feel good enough – stop! Take that first step, even if it‘s a tiny one. I promise you won‘t regret it. Open source has been the single biggest accelerant to my growth as a programmer, and I truly believe it‘s an unparalleled opportunity for all devs, but especially those early in their careers.

If you‘re still not sure where to start, I‘m always happy to chat and share resources. Feel free to reach out on Twitter or GitHub. I‘d love to connect and hopefully even collaborate on a project together!

No matter where you are on your programming journey, you have something valuable to offer the open source community. Join us – we‘re glad to have you.