Rouan is not a prolific open source contributor by any stretch of the imagination, but over the years he's learned how to contribute some useful bits and pieces. He'll tell you why he contributes to open source. He'll show you his first contributions and a few simple techniques for contributing to open source projects. Expect lots of code snippets. Along the way, he'll share some principles that he has learned. Maybe they'll help you as you try it out for yourself.

1. @rouanw rouanw.github.io
Contributing to Open Source
is easier than you think

2. This looks daunting

3. This looks daunting

4. PRINCIPLE 1
Use open source software

5. First contribution
Didn’t work!

6. First contribution
Options:
1) Write a bad test
2) Do the promise wrangling ourselves
3) Fix it

7. First contribution

8. PRINCIPLE 2
It’s just code

9. Second contribution
+
😭=

10. Second contribution

11. Two days later…

12. A month later…

13. PRINCIPLE 3
It feels good to be part of a
community

14. Documentation
redux-form
knife-solo_data_bag

15. PRINCIPLE 4
Every little helps

16. Techniques

17. Contribute auxiliary code
• Used a library to flatten objects
• It didn’t flatten nested objects
• Wrote some code to do that

18. Open a pull request

19. Use the new version

20. Another example

21. Another example

22. PRINCIPLE 5
Your trash could be someone
else’s treasure

23. PRINCIPLE 6
Contributing to open source can
be part of your day job

24. Fork the code

25. Point to your fork

26. Update when merged

27. Hey, I made that!

28. PRINCIPLE 7
If something doesn’t do exactly
what you want, change it

29. Share your utility code

31. dotfiles

32. PRINCIPLE 8
Work in the open
(if it doesn’t need to be private, share it)

33. Do it as part of your job

34. PRINCIPLE 9
Advocate for open source

35. Start a project

37. Help from others

38. PRINCIPLE 10
Other people can help you

39. Reasons I contribute to OSS
• Feels good to be helpful
• Fun to work on projects with different tech and styles
• Gives me confidence
• Helps my personal brand
• Helps potential employers get to know me

40. @rouanw rouanw.github.io
Contributing to Open Source
is easier than you think