Get Involved in Open Source: A Guide for Beginners
Tags: opensource, beginners, devops, productivity
Published: 2023-01-10 03:45:00

Are you interested in contributing to open-source projects but don't know where to start? Look no further! In this post, we'll go over the steps to contribute to an open-source project and the benefits of doing so. Plus, we'll introduce a new open-source project called OPN - a School/College Rating Platform & All Information Submit through College Student - and invite you to contribute.

The world of open-source software is vast and constantly growing, with thousands of projects available for anyone to contribute to. If you're new to open source, the thought of contributing to a project can seem intimidating. But the truth is, anyone can contribute to an open source project, no matter their skill level or experience. In this post, we'll go over the steps to contribute to an open-source project, as well as the benefits of doing so.

## How to Contribute? 🤔

Steps to Contribute to an Open Source Project:

1. Find a project to contribute to There are many websites, such as GitHub and GitLab, that host open-source projects. You can use these platforms to search for projects that interest you or that align with your skills.
    
2. Familiarize yourself with the project: Once you've found a project you'd like to contribute to, it's important to familiarize yourself with the project's codebase and any contributing guidelines. This will help you understand the project and make sure your contributions are in line with the project's goals and standards.
    
3. Make your contribution: There are many ways to contribute to a project, including writing code, fixing bugs, improving documentation, and more. Find an area of the project that interests you and make your contribution.
    
4. Submit your contribution: Once you've made your contribution, you'll need to submit it to the project maintainers for review. This is typically done through a pull request on the project's repository.
    

## Why Contribute to Open Source? 🦾

There are many benefits to contributing to open-source projects. Some of the main ones include:

* **Improving your skills**: Contributing to open-source projects is a great way to improve your skills and learn new technologies. You'll be working with other developers who are experts in their field, and you'll have the opportunity to learn from them and see how they solve problems.
    
* **Giving back to the community**: Open source projects rely on the contributions of volunteers to thrive. By contributing to a project, you'll be helping to advance the project and make it better for everyone.
    
* **Building your portfolio:** Participating in open-source projects is a great way to showcase your skills and build your portfolio. Many employers view open-source contributions as a sign of passion and dedication, and they may be more likely to consider you for a job if you have a strong open-source presence.
    

## Skills for Contributing to Open-source Projects ⚒️

* Programming: Many open-source projects involve writing code, so programming skills are often valuable. This can include languages such as C, C++, Java, Python, and more.
    
* Debugging: The ability to find and fix bugs in code is an important skill for many open-source projects.
    
* Documentation: Good documentation is essential for many open-source projects, and the ability to write clear and concise documentation can be valuable.
    
* Design: For projects that have a user interface, design skills can be useful for creating visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces.
    
* Testing: Ensuring that a project is reliable and bug-free is important, and having testing skills can be valuable in this regard.
    
* Project management: For larger projects, being able to manage tasks and work with a team can be important.
    

In addition to these technical skills, it's also helpful to have good communication skills and the ability to work well with others. Open source projects often involve collaboration, and the ability to communicate effectively with project maintainers and other contributors is important.

## Introduction to OPN 📃

OPN is a School/College Rating Platform & All Information is Submitted through College Students. It allows students to rate their schools and colleges and submit information about their experiences. This platform is designed to provide a comprehensive view of schools and colleges and to help students make informed decisions about their education.

### Who wants to contribute to OPN?

We are always looking for passionate individuals to contribute to the development of OPN. If you are interested in contributing, there are many ways to get involved:

* Documentation: Help improve and expand the documentation for OPN
    
* Software design: Contribute to the design and architecture of the platform
    
* Bug fixes: Find and fix bugs in the codebase
    
* New features: Suggest and implement new features for the platform
    

If you are interested in contributing to OPN, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and will play a vital role in the development of this platform.

## How to Start with OPN 🚀

1. Go to the OPN repository page: [**https://github.com/Astreak-oi/OPN**](https://github.com/Astreak-oi/OPN)
    
2. Click on the "Fork" button in the top right corner of the page. This will create a copy of the repository in your own GitHub account.
    
3. Clone the repository to your local machine. Open a terminal and enter the following command:
    
    `git clone` [`https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/OPN.git`](https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/OPN.git).
    
    Replace "YOUR\_USERNAME" with your actual GitHub username. This will create a local copy of the repository on your computer.
    
4. Open the repository in your preferred code editor.
    
5. Make your desired changes to the codebase.
    
6. Add your changes to the repository using the following commands:
    
    `git add`
    
    `git commit -m "Your commit message"`
    
7. Push your changes to your fork of the repository using the following command: `git push origin master`
    
8. Go to the original OPN repository page ([**https://github.com/Astreak-oi/OPN**](https://github.com/Astreak-oi/OPN)) and click on the "Compare & pull request" button.
    
9. Fill out the pull request form, making sure to include a detailed description of your changes and why you think they should be merged into the main repository.
    
10. Submit the pull request.
    

The project maintainers will review your pull request and may ask for additional changes or clarification. Once they are satisfied with your contribution, they will merge it into the main repository.

## Become Member 🤝

To join the Discord channel for the OPN project, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Install the Discord app on your device or visit the Discord website ([**https://discord.com/**](https://discord.com/)) to create an account.
    
2. Fill out the form for the [OPN Discord](https://forms.gle/ePUzBq1DaWwcg3V6A) channel. This may be provided on the OPN repository page or the project's website. Alternatively, you can ask the project maintainers for the invite link on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/theakashshukla0) or any other Channel.
    
3. Click on the invite link to join the Discord channel. You may need to enter some basic information, such as your name and email address, to create an account.
    
4. Once you have joined the Discord channel, you may need to fill out a form to become a member. This form may include information such as your name, email address, and any relevant skills or experience you have.
    

### Thank you 💖

Thank you for reading our blog post about contributing to open source projects and learning about OPN - a School/College Rating Platform & All Information Submit through College Student. We hope you found the information helpful and are inspired to contribute to open-source projects.

If you are interested in staying up-to-date with OPN and getting involved in the project, please follow us on Twitter and GitHub:


* [Twitter](https://twitter.com/theakashshukla0)
    
* [GitHub](https://github.com/theakashshukla)
    

We are always looking for passionate individuals to contribute to the development of OPN. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Thank you again for your support and interest in OPN. We look forward to working with you!