The document provides guidance for new contributors in open source projects, emphasizing the importance of pursuing personal passions, understanding community dynamics, and avoiding common mistakes. It outlines best practices for engaging with projects and fostering a positive environment, as well as actions for community leaders to support newcomers. Essential tips include maintaining a balance between humility and confidence, and prioritizing personal well-being while contributing.

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and still have fun
How to start
contributing
Juri Solovjov
Software Quality Engineer
jsolovjo@redhat.com
How
to
start
contributing
and
still
have
fun
juri-solovjov

2. Introduction
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Juri Solovjov
▸ Software Quality Engineer
▸ 6+ years at Red Hat in Brno, Czech Republic
▸ Involved in integration middleware projects:
･ Hawtio, Camel Spring Boot, Camel Quarkus, Camel-K
▸ Side projects:
･ Red Hat Summer Camp Brno - an IT camp for high-school students
･ Leading a seminar on Tests in practice at Masaryk University in Brno

3. What we’ll discuss today
▸ What we know about Open Source
▸ Best Practices for New Contributors
▸ Common Mistakes to Avoid as New Contributors
▸ Positive Actions for Community Leaders
▸ Essential Tips
▸ Q&A
Agenda
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What we know about
Open Source

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freedom to run, copy, distribute,
study, change and improve the
software
What we know about Open Source
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Source:
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html

6. What we know about Open Source
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Open Source
Transparency
Collaboration
Community
Agility
▸ What do we mean by Open Source?
▸ What first comes to your mind?
▸ Is everything so bright and shiny?
Yes

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Open Source
▸ Distance
▸ Disruptions
▸ Toxicity
but

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Best Practices for
New Contributors

9. Best Practices for New Contributors
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If not sure where to start
▸ Pursue your passions
･ Look for projects related to tools and topics you actively use and enjoy
▸ Tackle meaningful challenges
･ Focus on solving issues that resonate with you
▸ Aim for growth and pride
･ Choose projects that make you proud of even a small step taken by you regardless of the
complexity and size of the project
you can

10. Best Practices for New Contributors
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Before joining a project and community
▸ Assess the community’s behavior and culture
▸ Look for signs of a healthy and supportive environment
▸ Don’t fight but avoid projects with negativity or hostility
it’s better to

11. Best Practices for New Contributors
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Found a great project
▸ Take initiative
･ Start motivating and promoting engagement within the community
▸ Contribute actively
･ Lead by example and encourage others to participate
▸ Identify motivations
･ Understand that inactivity may stem from a lack of reasons to contribute
▸ Consider a fresh start if efforts don’t yield results
but the community is passive and inactive

12. Best Practices for New Contributors
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Start a new project
▸ Fosters collaboration
･ Encourages contributions from a diverse range of individuals from the start
▸ Enhances innovation
･ Leads to fresh ideas and innovative solutions
▸ Builds a supportive community
･ Leads to faster progress and problem solving
▸ Improves project quality
･ Early feedback and diverse perspectives
so make it open from the beginning

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Common Mistakes to Avoid
as New Contributors

14. Common Mistakes to Avoid as New Contributors
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There can be various rules set by communities
▸ Documentation
･ Not following a contribution guidelines
･ Not checking FAQs
▸ Issues and Pull Requests
･ Messing up several things in one
･ Not checking if it already exists/resolved/closed/rejected
･ Ignoring templates
and common mistakes of new contributors can be related to

15. Common Mistakes to Avoid as New Contributors
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There can be various rules set by communities
▸ Tests
･ Not writing tests
･ Ignoring test results
▸ Communication
･ Ignoring feedback
･ Work without approval
･ Not making friends
and common mistakes of new contributors can be related to

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Positive Actions for
Community Leaders

17. Positive Actions for Community Leaders
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As community leaders
▸ Mark issues with labels (e.g. beginner, easy, good-for-beginners, good-first-issue, etc.)
▸ Make sure contribution guidelines and FAQs are clear and up to date
▸ Offer assistance (e.g. peers for newcomers)
▸ Provide feedback that will motivate a person to grow and not leave the project
▸ Be patient, everyone makes mistakes and learns
what you can do for new contributors

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Essential Tips

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▸ Embrace continuous improvement
･ Seek opportunities to enhance code, projects, the community, and yourself
▸ Balance humility and confidence
･ Be assertive in sharing ideas
･ but remain open to feedback and possibility of being wrong
▸ Prioritize your well-being
･ Take care of your personal life and health
Remember to

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“Don't be afraid to contribute, to
suggest ideas and to make
mistakes. We all have been there.”
- my friend, colleague and excellent engineer Otavio Piske
Conclusion
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Q&A
Find me online

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linkedin.com/company/red-hat
youtube.com/user/RedHatVideos
facebook.com/redhatinc
twitter.com/RedHat
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Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise
open source software solutions. Award-winning support,
training, and consulting services make Red Hat a trusted
adviser to the Fortune 500.
Thank you
How
to
start
contributing
and
still
have
fun