2.1. Evaluating Open Projects
This module will provide learners with tools and best practices for evaluating open source projects for contribution.
Format
- Read articles, and use what you learn to identify open projects that match your goals.
Prerequisites
Have read and completed Module 1.
Materials
A way of recording notes – pencil and paper or a computer.
Finding a Project
There are many things to consider when evaluating a project for participation. Initial impressions are important (this looks awesome!), but so too is critical review for ‘fit’. Not all projects accommodate new contributors, not all project maintainers are responsive - but many do, and are.
Open Source is a great opportunity to learn by doing - understanding through experience. In this chapter, you’ll learn about the three primary ways people get involved with open projects - with an opportunity to explore for yourself.
Via Personal or Pro-Bono Projects
Many, many developers, designers, writers and other skilled contributors find open projects through the work they are already doing either in their careers, or related to hobbies.
For example, a developer working with Wordpress or Drupal for an company, or in pro-bono for a non-profit, work might fix a known bug, or realize that a small change they’ve made for a client is probably something others would want. A first contribution often happens this way: through the experience of working-with, or using a open source project.
Benefits of making a first contribution via real-world use of a project/product are:
- You learn in a safe environment(your project sandbox), how things like pull requests work, how to merge code, how to create tasks without fear of being judged in real-time.
- You can make something thats really needed - it solves a problem, or helps someone achieve something not otherwise possible.
- You’re practicing being a maintainer as well as a contributor.
- Your contribution can help others working on similar use cases (i.e. higher education, campus issues) - you’ll likely meet people interested in the same things you are.
Open Project Searches
Many people search for open projects with technology relevant to their interests and career goals.
There are numerous ways you can find an open project including ‘Up for Grabs’, GitHub, Bugs Ahoy and Your First PR and there is also GitHub’s ‘trending repos’ which allow you to see what projects are most popular right now. In this way you can window-shop for opportunities and tasks that feel manageable, (and hopefully) interesting and fun.
The benefits of this approach are:
- You can select a project by the skill you want to learn.
- There’s opportunity to apply our checklist(below) to assess - avoiding hostile, inactive or unresponsive communities.
- You can look for projects with people you hope to meet, or have been inspired by in some way.
- If you don’t like that project, it’s easier to step away than if you have a work project reliant on the outcome.
Changing the World - HFOSS
As part of your Open Source Career Map assignment in module 1, you wereasked to think about your motivations for contributing to an Open Project. Enter HFOSS - or simply Humanitarian Open Source.
A great way to select a project is by connecting to a cause that you feel connected to and passionate about.
Digital humanitarian communities vary in size, structure, and focus. There are well-established groups like Sahana Foundation or Ushahidi, as well as the growing Digital Humanitarian Network. Each of these organizations, and many more digital communities, seek your expertise. - Getting Involved with HFOSS, Heather Leson.
Ways to contribute
Although a first pull request is often championed as the milestone for contribution - it’s not fair to say that this is the ultimate goal, or should be for any contributor. Many things can happen before that first PR that end up as contributions.
Reporting a bug, updating a README file, helping another contributor, QA, writing a blog post, designing a logo, updating a wiki, and translation are all first contributions as well as great ways to contribute.
Read 9 non-coding ways to contribute to open source.
Assignment: - Step Into Open Source
Read Finding Your Goldilocks Zone by Alaina Kafkes
Read Don Marti’s Journey on ‘Track 1’ setting up a Metalsmith blog - to understand how a personal project can connect you to open source.
Read 11 ways to get involved with HFOSS
Read GitHub’s ‘Finding a Project to Contribute To’.
Select one of the three ways to get involved in open source, referencing your Open Source Career Map and the checklist provided in GitHub’s Finding a Project. Share with your group, your journey of selecting that project and how it aligns with your career map goals.
next: Licensing