Hacktoberfest 2023: Recap
Tags: hacktoberfest, hacktoberfest23, opensource, beginners
Published: 2023-10-27 19:01:29

As October comes to a close, so does my journey through [Hacktoberfest](https://hacktoberfest.com), a month-long celebration of open-source contributions. This year marked my first foray into this exciting world of collaborative coding, and I'm here to share the experiences and lessons learned during this remarkable journey. I'll be recapping my four-week progress through the lens of the blog posts I've written along the way.

## Week 1: Finding the Right Project

In my first blog post, ["Hacktoberfest: Good First Issue,"](https://dev.to/yousefmajidi/good-first-issue-3fg2) I shared my initial steps into the world of open source. Finding the right project to contribute to can be a daunting task, but I outlined various strategies for identifying suitable projects and issues to work on. I also emphasized the importance of understanding the project's guidelines and the value of contributing to documentation tasks.

For my first contribution, I stumbled upon [EnumConverter](https://github.com/kurnakovv/EnumConverter) and fixed an issue in their documentation. Despite a minor misunderstanding in the initial pull request, the open-source community proved to be incredibly helpful and friendly. This first step boosted my confidence and set the stage for more significant contributions in the future.

## Week 2: Beyond Code Contributions

In the second week, I continued my journey and explored the non-coding aspects of open source. In ["Hacktoberfest: Week 2,"](https://dev.to/yousefmajidi/hacktoberfest-week-2-41jh) I discussed the importance of understanding and adhering to project-specific guidelines, even for non-coding tasks. I shared my experience with enhancing podcast transcripts for [Software Engineering Unlocked](https://open.spotify.com/show/2wz1OneBIDXpbBYeuyIsJL?si=87d9a5f3a4694eb3), a podcast by [Michaela Greiler](https://twitter.com/mgreiler). This contribution involved improving the clarity and readability of podcast transcripts.

The collaborative nature of open source became evident as I collaborated with the podcast's author to clarify various aspects of the transcripts. This taught me that open-source contributions come in various forms, and all forms of contributions are valuable.

## Week 3: Adding Value to Explore-cli

Week 3 of Hacktoberfest presented a unique opportunity to contribute to [explore-cli](https://github.com/SmartBear-DevRel/explore-cli), a command-line tool for SwaggerHub Explore, an essential tool for API professionals. I focused on enhancing the `ExportedAt` attribute within the codebase. The journey taught me about the collaborative spirit of open source, even when maintainers are actively involved in the project. External contributors can bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. I documented my contributions in depth in my previous post, ["Hacking Away in Week 3 of Hacktoberfest."](https://dev.to/yousefmajidi/hacking-away-in-week-3-of-hacktoberfest-o2m)

My contributions to `explore-cli` emphasized the importance of code quality and consistency. This experience reminded me that every contribution, whether small or significant, adds value to the open-source landscape.

## Week 4: Wrapping up with CrispyWaffle

As the final week of Hacktoberfest approached, I delved into [CrispyWaffle](https://github.com/guibranco/CrispyWaffle), a toolkit for .NET projects. My contributions included code refactoring, removing unnecessary retry loops, and simplifying code logic. The experience was both rewarding and educational, emphasizing the significance of improving code quality. My post ["Last Week of Hacktoberfest"](https://dev.to/yousefmajidi/last-week-of-hacktoberfest-4538) outlines my journey. 

My contributions to CrispyWaffle were quickly accepted by the project's maintainers, underscoring the collaborative nature of open source. This journey has been a testament to the power of community and the impact that small changes can make.

## The Bigger Picture

Hacktoberfest 2023 has been a remarkable journey. It began with finding the right project, expanded into non-code contributions, and then led me to explore various codebase improvements. Through it all, I learned that open-source contributions come in many forms, each valuable in its own right.

Open source is not just about code; it's about community, collaboration, and the collective effort to improve technology. As this year's Hacktoberfest comes to a close, I'm eager to continue my journey in the open-source community, armed with the knowledge and experience gained during this exciting month. I look forward to more contributions, more collaboration, and more positive impact in the world of open source.