How to Kickstart Your Open Source Journey with HTML and CSS?
Published: 2023-07-29 03:15:12

Are you an aspiring developer looking to make a meaningful impact on the open-source community? Perhaps you’re a web enthusiast eager to contribute your skills to a project you’re passionate about. If you are just starting on your coding journey and want to dive into the world of open-source, don’t worry! You can begin your open-source contributions with just HTML and CSS, the building blocks of every website. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the steps to get started and introduce some exciting open-source projects you can contribute to right away.

>"Open Source is here to stay"
      Eddie (Github Star)


## Why Start with HTML and CSS for Open Source Contributions?



HTML and CSS are the backbone of web development and play a crucial role in creating visually appealing and user-friendly websites. As a beginner-friendly combination, they allow you to contribute to a wide range of open-source projects without an extensive background in programming languages. Contributing to projects in these languages provides a solid foundation for further development, and you’ll be able to observe your work in action immediately.

## Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Open Source Contribution:



**✔Understanding Git and Version Control:**
Before you start contributing, familiarize yourself with Git, a version control system used by most open-source projects. Learn how to create a GitHub account and understand the basics of branching, committing, and pushing code.

**✔ Identify Beginner-Friendly Projects:**
Finding the right project is crucial. Look for open-source projects labeled as “beginner-friendly” or “good first issue.” This ensures that you won’t be overwhelmed by complex tasks and can ease into the contribution process.

**✔ Tackle Easy-to-Fix Issues:**
Start by fixing simple issues like minor HTML formatting errors or CSS styling tweaks. This will build your confidence and familiarity with the project.

**✔Collaborate with the Community:**
Engage with the project’s community through forums, chat rooms, or mailing lists. Seek help when needed, share your ideas, and learn from experienced contributors

**✔Submit Your Pull Request:**
When you’re ready, submit a pull request with a clear explanation of your changes. Be open to feedback and be prepared to make necessary adjustments.

## Open Source Projects for HTML and CSS Contributions:

**First Contributions:** Not a project in itself, but an excellent repository that helps beginners make their first open-source contributions. It contains step-by-step guides and resources to understand the contribution process on GitHub using HTML and CSS.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/firstcontributions/first-contribution

**HTML/CSS Exercises:** This project offers a collection of simple HTML and CSS exercises for beginners. It provides a great opportunity to practice your skills and contribute by creating new exercises or improving existing ones.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/ghosh/html-css-exercises

**HTML/CSS Templates: **This project focuses on building various HTML and CSS templates that can be used as starting points for websites or web applications. Beginners can contribute by creating new templates or enhancing existing ones.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/sdhsdhj/HTML-CSS-Templates

**Responsive Web Design Projects:** A collection of projects that aim to build responsive web designs using HTML and CSS. Beginners can contribute by creating new designs or improving the responsiveness of existing ones.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/freecodecamp/responsive-web-design-projects

**HTML/CSS Snippets:** This project curates a collection of useful HTML and CSS code snippets for developers. Beginners can contribute by adding new snippets or organizing existing ones.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/bradtraversy/50projects50days

**Tribute Page:** This beginner-friendly project involves creating a tribute page to honor a person or an entity using HTML and CSS. It helps you practice your layout and styling skills.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/dev-documentation

Remember, open-source contribution is not just about writing complex code; even small improvements and fixes are valuable. The most important thing is to participate, learn, and grow as a developer while collaborating with the community. Happy contributing!