This is a submission for the 2024 Hacktoberfest Writing challenge: Contributor Experience

Introduction

I’ve been programming for a few years, but my experience has been limited to solo projects. I hadn’t contributed to a team project until I discovered Hacktoberfest, thanks to the amazing members at Virtual Coffee who introduced me to the event.

How I started contributing?

I felt a bit intimidated at first because I wasn’t sure where to begin. I also worried that if I took on an issue, I might not be able to solve it and that I should let someone else handle it. Fortunately, the members at Virtual Coffee offered tutorials and resources that were incredibly helpful, including beginner-friendly repositories.

How was my experience?

I learned the steps for making a contribution, and it turned out to be easier and less intimidating than I expected, though resolving merge conflicts was a bit frustrating. I successfully completed four pull requests and even received a badge just for registering!