How to Contribute to Open-Source Projects – Git & GitHub Workflow for Beginners

Open-source software (OSS) has become the backbone of the modern tech landscape. From the Linux operating system to the React web framework to the Tensorflow machine learning library, open-source tools power a vast array of applications and innovations.

The rise of open source has been staggering. According to the 2020 Open Source Security and Risk Analysis report, 99% of commercial codebases contain open-source components, with open source comprising 70% of the average codebase. On GitHub, the leading platform for open-source development, users have created over 200 million repositories, with 28 million developers contributing to OSS projects.

This explosive growth underscores the importance of open source in today‘s software ecosystem. As a developer, engaging with open-source projects is one of the most impactful things you can do to sharpen your skills, build your network, and accelerate your career.

However, getting started with open-source contributions can be daunting, especially if you‘re new to the collaborative development workflows enabled by Git and GitHub. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll demystify the process and equip you with the knowledge and best practices to make your first open-source contribution with confidence.

Understanding the Git and GitHub Essentials

Before we walk through the open-source contribution workflow, let‘s ensure we have a solid grasp of the core concepts and terminology of Git and GitHub.

What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system (VCS) that enables developers to track changes to a project‘s codebase over time. It was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to help manage the development of the Linux kernel and has since become the de facto standard for version control in software development.

With Git, each developer has a full copy of the project‘s entire history on their local machine. This decentralized model allows for flexible workflows and offline work. Git tracks changes at the line level, allowing for granular control and easy reverting of changes.

Key Git concepts include:

• Repository: A project‘s codebase and its complete version history.
• Commit: A snapshot of changes to the codebase at a point in time, with a unique ID and message describing the changes.
• Branch: A lightweight, movable pointer to a commit, allowing for parallel development and experimentation.
• Merge: Integrating changes from one branch into another.
• Remote: A version of the repository hosted on a server (like GitHub).
• Clone: Copying a repository from a remote server to your local machine.
• Push: Sending your local commits to a remote repository.
• Pull: Fetching changes from a remote repository and merging them into your local branch.

What is GitHub?

GitHub is a web-based platform that hosts Git repositories and provides a rich set of collaboration features built on top of Git. Launched in 2008, GitHub has become the largest host of source code in the world, with over 56 million users and 200 million repositories as of 2021.

While Git is the underlying version control system, GitHub provides the interface and tooling that makes collaborative development seamless. Key GitHub features include:

• Forking: Creating a personal copy of another user‘s repository that you can modify without affecting the original project.
• Pull Requests: Proposing changes to a repository, allowing for code review and discussion before merging.
• Issues: Tracking bugs, enhancements, and tasks for a project, with labeling and assignment capabilities.
• Wikis: Documenting a project‘s usage, API, and design decisions.
• Actions: Automating software workflows, including CI/CD, in response to GitHub events.

GitHub has become the epicenter of open-source collaboration, hosting popular projects like Linux, React, Angular, Tensorflow, and countless others. Its social features, like user profiles and activity feeds, have also made it a thriving platform for developer networking and knowledge sharing.

Step-by-Step Guide: Contributing to an Open-Source Project

With our foundational understanding of Git and GitHub in place, let‘s walk through the process of making an open-source contribution, step by step.

1. Find a Project

The first step is finding an open-source project that resonates with you. This could be a tool you use regularly, a library you‘re interested in learning, or a cause you‘re passionate about.

GitHub‘s Explore page is a great starting point, showcasing trending repositories, topics, and collections. You can also search for projects by language, framework, or keyword.

When evaluating projects, look for ones that are actively maintained, have a welcoming community, and provide clear contribution guidelines. Indicators of a healthy project include:

• Recent commits and releases
• Responsive maintainers and active discussion on issues/PRs
• Detailed README, CONTRIBUTING, and CODE_OF_CONDUCT files
• Comprehensive test coverage and continuous integration

As a beginner, it‘s also beneficial to find projects that have issues specifically labeled as "good first issue", "beginner-friendly", or similar. These are typically small, self-contained tasks that are well-suited for first-time contributors.

2. Fork the Repository

Once you‘ve identified a project you‘d like to contribute to, the next step is to fork the repository. A fork is a personal copy of the project that you can modify without affecting the original codebase.

To fork a repository:

1. Navigate to the project‘s GitHub page.
2. Click the "Fork" button in the top-right corner.
3. Select your GitHub account as the destination for the forked repository.

After a few seconds, you‘ll be redirected to your fork of the repository, which will have a URL like https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/REPOSITORY-NAME.

3. Clone Your Fork Locally

Now that you have a forked copy of the repository on GitHub, you need to download it to your local machine to make changes. This process is called cloning.

To clone your fork:

1. On your fork‘s GitHub page, click the green "Code" button.
2. Copy the HTTPS URL of your fork (e.g., https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/REPOSITORY-NAME.git).
3. Open your terminal and navigate to the directory where you want to store the project.
4. Run git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/REPOSITORY-NAME.git to clone your fork.

After the clone operation completes, you‘ll have a local directory containing the project‘s files, with a remote named origin pointing to your fork on GitHub.

4. Configure Git and Sync with Upstream

Before starting your contribution, it‘s a good idea to configure Git with your name and email address for proper attribution of your commits. You can do this with the following commands:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Next, you‘ll want to add a remote pointing to the original (upstream) repository you forked from. This will allow you to keep your fork in sync with the latest changes.

To add the upstream remote:

1. Navigate to the original repository‘s GitHub page.
2. Copy the HTTPS URL of the repository (e.g., https://github.com/ORIGINAL-OWNER/REPOSITORY-NAME.git).
3. In your terminal, inside your cloned fork‘s directory, run:

   git remote add upstream https://github.com/ORIGINAL-OWNER/REPOSITORY-NAME.git

To sync your fork with the latest changes from upstream:

1. Fetch the upstream branches and commits:

   git fetch upstream

2. Check out your fork‘s local main branch:

   git checkout main

3. Merge the changes from upstream/main into your local main branch:

   git merge upstream/main

Now your local fork is up to date with the upstream repository.

5. Create a Branch

Before making changes, create a new branch for your contribution. This keeps your changes isolated from the main branch and allows for easier management of multiple contributions.

To create and switch to a new branch:

git checkout -b my-contribution-branch

Choose a short, descriptive name for your branch, like fix-typo-in-readme or add-new-feature.

6. Make Your Changes

Now you‘re ready to make your changes to the codebase. Open the project in your favorite code editor and start modifying files.

As you work, keep these best practices in mind:

• Adhere to the project‘s coding style and conventions.
• Focus on a single, discrete change or feature per contribution.
• Write clear, concise commit messages that describe your changes.
• Regularly commit your work with git commit -m "Your commit message".
• Test your changes thoroughly to ensure they don‘t introduce new bugs.

If you need to add, delete, or rename files, use the appropriate Git commands:

• To stage changes for commit: git add path/to/file
• To remove files from Git tracking: git rm path/to/file
• To rename or move files: git mv old/path/file new/path/file

7. Push Your Changes

Once you‘re satisfied with your changes, it‘s time to push your branch to your forked repository on GitHub.

If this is the first push of your branch, you‘ll need to set the upstream branch:

git push --set-upstream origin my-contribution-branch

For subsequent pushes, you can simply run:

git push

After pushing, you‘ll see your branch on your fork‘s GitHub page.

8. Open a Pull Request

The final step is to submit your changes to the original project maintainers for review. This is done through a pull request (PR) on GitHub.

To open a pull request:

1. Navigate to your forked repository on GitHub.
2. Click the "Pull requests" tab and then the "New pull request" button.
3. Select your contribution branch as the "compare" branch and the upstream repository‘s main branch as the "base" branch.
4. Click the "Create pull request" button.
5. Fill out the pull request template (if provided) or write a descriptive title and comment explaining your changes.
6. Click "Create pull request" to submit your PR.

Now, the project maintainers will review your changes, provide feedback, and decide whether to merge your contribution into the main codebase. Be responsive to any questions or change requests, as this is a valuable opportunity to learn and improve your skills.

Best Practices for Contributing to Open Source

In addition to the technical workflow, there are several best practices to keep in mind when contributing to open-source projects:

Communication is Key

Clear, respectful communication is vital in open-source communities. Whether you‘re asking a question, reporting a bug, or proposing a new feature, be sure to:

• Follow the project‘s preferred communication channels (e.g., issue tracker, mailing list, chat).
• Be concise and specific in your comments and questions.
• Be patient and understanding, as maintainers and other contributors are often volunteering their time.
• Express appreciation for others‘ work and feedback.

Quality Over Quantity

When making contributions, prioritize quality and relevance over quantity. It‘s better to submit one well-crafted, thoroughly-tested pull request than several hasty, incomplete ones.

Before submitting a PR, make sure to:

• Adhere to the project‘s coding style and conventions.
• Write clear, concise commit messages and PR descriptions.
• Break large changes into smaller, focused commits.
• Test your changes thoroughly.
• Update any relevant documentation.

Be Open to Feedback

Code review and constructive feedback are essential parts of the open-source process. When receiving feedback on your contributions:

• Don‘t take criticism personally – it‘s an opportunity to learn and improve.
• Ask clarifying questions if you don‘t understand a comment.
• Be willing to iterate and make changes based on feedback.
• Thank reviewers for their time and insights.

Give Back to the Community

Open source is a two-way street. As you benefit from the work of others, look for ways to give back to the community:

• Help triage issues and review pull requests.
• Improve project documentation and tutorials.
• Answer questions from other users and contributors.
• Share your experiences and learnings through blog posts or talks.

By contributing your time and expertise, you can help make the open-source ecosystem more vibrant and sustainable.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Contributing to open-source projects can be intimidating at first, but by following the Git and GitHub workflow and adhering to best practices, you‘ll soon be making valuable contributions with confidence.

Remember, everyone starts somewhere. Don‘t be afraid to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from others. The more you contribute, the more comfortable and proficient you‘ll become.

To further your open-source journey, consider these next steps:

• Explore GitHub‘s Open Source Guides for more in-depth tutorials and resources.
• Participate in open-source events and initiatives like Hacktoberfest and Google Summer of Code.
• Join open-source communities and forums related to your interests, such as DEV, Reddit‘s /r/opensource, or OpenSourceFriday.
• Attend local meetups and conferences to network with other open-source enthusiasts.
• Consider starting your own open-source project to share your work and collaborate with others.

By engaging with the open-source community and consistently contributing your skills and knowledge, you‘ll not only grow as a developer but also help shape the future of software development. Happy contributing!