Getting Started with Open Source Contribution for GitHub Beginners

Open source software (OSS) has publicly available source code that anyone can use and improve. Beginners should start by choosing a project written in a language they know that welcomes new contributors.

Using GitHub Copilot Chat, you can search for repositories based on a language like TypeScript and filter for beginner-friendly issues tagged with the good first issue label. In the example vscode repository, you select that label from the Labels menu under the Issues tab to see a list of issues to work on.

A good open source repository usually has the following elements:

• A README that outlines installation instructions
• A CONTRIBUTING.md that explains the contribution process
• A LICENSE specifying terms of use
• 100 or more GitHub stars
• Active maintenance with recent commits
• A good first issue label for new contributors

The example repository gitfolio is introduced as an actively maintained project with a README, CONTRIBUTING.md, and LICENSE, thousands of GitHub stars, and a commit confirmed as recent as the previous day. It's a good contribution candidate if you're familiar with TypeScript, though TypeScript knowledge isn't required to follow along with the demo.

The contribution flow is as follows:

• Fork the repository to create your own copy.
• Edit README.md and commit the change.
• Create a new branch and open a pull request.
• Use compare across forks to compare the original repository with your fork.
• Write a title and description, including a link to the issue you resolved.

Once the PR is approved and merged, the changes are reflected in the main branch of the original repository. The flow—from finding a project, to reading the repository, to submitting your first pull request—is laid out at a beginner's level.