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Open Source

Contributing to open source is one of the best ways to grow as a developer, build your reputation, and connect with developers around the world. Open source gives you a way to show your skills to international employers and build professional relationships across borders.

Why it matters​

Open source contributions are more than just free work—they are ways to improve your skills and career growth. Today, employers care more about real experience than just certificates. Your open source contributions work like a public portfolio of your skills, work habits, and ability to work with others.

Here's why open source contributions help your career grow faster:

  • Public portfolio: Your contributions are visible to anyone, anywhere in the world, showing proof of your skills and consistency.
  • Real-world experience: Working on production code used by thousands of people teaches you things tutorials never will.
  • Practice modern development practices: Open source projects give you hands-on experience with testing, CI/CD, containerization, git workflows, and other essential practices.
  • Code review and feedback: Experienced maintainers will review your code, giving you valuable feedback that helps you improve.
  • Professional networking: You'll work with developers from around the world, building relationships that can lead to job opportunities.
  • Learn from big projects: You'll see how large, complex projects are built and learn best practices from experienced teams.

How to get started​

Start Small​

The biggest mistake new contributors make is trying to work on major features right away. Successful open source contributors start with small, easy contributions and build their reputation over time. Some great ways to get started include:

  • Fixing typos in README files or documentation.
  • Improving code comments or adding missing documentation.
  • Reporting bugs you find while using the project.
  • Suggesting improvements to user guides or examples.

Choose a Project​

Not all open source projects are good for beginners. Look for projects that welcome new contributors, have clear contribution guidelines, and show these signs of a welcoming community: clear README files, contribution guidelines, "good first issue" labels, active maintainers, and respectful collaboration.

Start with tools and libraries you already use in your work or personal projects. You understand the problems they solve and can spot areas for improvement. You can also use these resources to discover more projects:

  • GitHub Explore — Discover trending projects and filter by language or topic.
  • Good First Issues — Collects issues labeled "good first issue" from many repositories.
  • Up For Grabs — Selected list of beginner-friendly projects organized by programming language.
  • First Timers Only — Resources and projects specifically for first-time contributors.
  • Awesome Arabic Speakers — Projects by Syrian and Arabic-speaking developers for easier communication and local context understanding.

Follow the Project's Standards​

Every project has its own way of doing things. Successful contributors learn and follow these standards rather than using their own preferences.

Before making your first contribution:

  • Read the project's README completely.
  • Review existing pull requests to understand the style and process.
  • Check if there are coding standards or style guides.
  • Look at recent commits to understand the project's direction.

When submitting contributions:

  • Follow the project's commit message format.
  • Write clear, descriptive pull request descriptions.
  • Include tests if the project requires them.
  • Respond to feedback and requests for changes.

Build Good Relationships​

Open source is about community, not just code. Building relationships with maintainers and other contributors is just as important as the technical contributions. Because open source work often happens at different times and across different time zones, communication can feel a bit different than in a traditional team. Pay extra attention to how you express yourself in written messages, be clear and respectful, and remember that patience and understanding are key when working with people you may never meet in person.

Key practices to help you engage positively and productively:

  • Be patient when waiting for reviews—maintainers are often volunteers.
  • Ask questions when you don't understand something.
  • Offer help to other contributors when you can.
  • Join project discussions and decisions.
  • Write clear, simple issues and pull request descriptions.
  • Be specific about problems and proposed solutions.

Resources​

English Resources​

Arabic Resources​