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

Hello Dev Community,

I hope you're all doing well. As I write this, October has just wrapped up. Many of you have likely participated in and learned a lot from Hacktoberfest. In this article, I want to share my Hacktoberfest 2024 experience with you. A quick heads-up: I didn’t complete a single PR this time. So if you’re expecting a dramatic success story, this might not be it. Instead, I’ll be reflecting on my broader journey into Open Source. For anyone new to this space, I hope my story offers some useful insights into GitHub, navigating open source, and finding projects to contribute to.

Until about four months ago, despite being a software professional, I was largely unaware of the open-source world. I was in a routine 9-5 job, working with the same three or four technologies each day, rarely getting the opportunity to explore or learn something new. When I decided to switch jobs, I updated my resume and ventured into various job markets. That’s when I realized the extent to which my professional growth had been limited.

To address this, I made it a priority to up-skill myself in new areas. Joining developer communities was one of the most impactful steps I took over the past few months. Apart from dev.to, I recently started using the Chrome extension daily.dev, as well as engaging with developer communities on Twitter and LinkedIn. These communities have helped me stay current with trending open-source projects and introduced me to numerous other valuable resources.

I came across an article that guided me on how to find repositories with open, beginner-friendly issues. Following its advice, I found my first project, leetcode-curriculum, where I’m now an active contributor with four successful PRs. More recently, I discovered an interesting project called DevCanvas, and I’m looking forward to contributing to it as well.

One tip I’d like to share for those with limited time for open-source involvement: focus on more generic issues, like those related to DSA or algorithms. Contributing to specific projects often requires understanding the project’s technical aspects and tech stack, which can be time-consuming to learn. So starting with general topics can be a practical entry point.

I hope this article offers some value. If you’re a computer science or software engineering student interested in exploring production-level software and infrastructure, dive into open-source—it will significantly enhance both your resume and skills as a developer.

If you'd like to connect or follow along with my open-source journey, feel free to check out my GitHub for my latest contributions, or reach out on Twitter and LinkedIn. I’d love to connect with fellow developers and open-source enthusiasts!

See you in the open-source community, and all the very best!