Open Source isn’t just about code — it’s about community, collaboration, and growth.
👋 Hey there!
I’m Vishvamsinh Vaghela, a final-year Computer Science student at LJ University and a GSoC 2024 contributor with Postman. My open source journey started with small fixes and ended up with 30+ merged PRs in a project I truly love — AsyncAPI.
Let me show you how I got started, what worked, and how you can do it too.
🧠 What is Open Source?
- Codebases that are public, editable, and reusable
- Built by communities, not just companies
- Think Linux, React, Node.js — 80% of the internet runs on open source
But more than tech — it's a culture of transparency and mentorship.
💡 Why Should You Contribute?
- Learn real-world coding (Git, testing, CI/CD, reviews)
- Improve problem-solving and collaboration
- Get noticed by employers and global mentors
- Create impact with projects used by millions
Open Source taught me things no textbook ever could.
🚀 My Journey with AsyncAPI
I started with tiny CSS tweaks and GitHub issues labeled "good first issue". Sounds boring? Not at all.
That’s how I:
- Understood the repo structure
- Learned community workflows
- Got familiar with code reviews
Soon I was:
- Writing Jest tests for backend scripts
- Converting the site from JS to TypeScript
- Building real features
Fun fact: Some of your PRs might not get merged — Not all work ends in green ticks, some can take months to review, and that’s okay.
🤔 Am I Good Enough?
Let me bust this myth — you don’t need to be a pro.
✅ Basic coding? Cool
✅ Git commands? Great
✅ Google search + Stack Overflow + LLMs? Perfect
✅ Consistent mindset & eagerness to learn? That’s the real skill.
🧰 Setting Up
Here’s what helped me:
- Learn Git & GitHub like your life depends on it
- Pick 1 language and stick to it (JS/TS is a good bet)
- Install VS Code + Node + terminal basics
- Read contribution guides of projects
- Join Discords, Slack, or GitHub Discussions
Resources?
Start with: The Odin Project or freeCodeCamp
🏗️ Choosing the Right Project
Don’t just chase big names. Look for:
- Active communities
- Good documentation
- Friendly maintainers
- Tech stack you understand (or want to learn)
Red flags? Inactive repos, rude replies, no CONTRIBUTING.md
🔗 Connecting with the Community
- Join their chat groups (Slack/Discord)
- Introduce yourself
- Read past issues before asking
- Help others too — it's a 2-way street
Your first message might feel awkward. Mine did too. Just send it anyway.
🛠️ Making Your First Contribution
- Fork the repo
- Follow the setup instructions
- Fix a small bug or typo
- Push → PR → Wait for feedback
- Celebrate 🎉
Even 1 merged PR builds confidence.
🧠 Learnings & Advice
- Be consistent, not perfect
- Respect maintainers’ time
- Ask good questions (after trying to solve first)
- Keep communication short, kind, and clear
- Write clean, tested code with comments
Maintainers aren’t gatekeepers — they’re allies. Treat them that way.
✅ Dos and Don'ts
DO:
- Keep your PRs small and focused
- Write clear commit messages
- Stay in sync with the community
DON’T:
- Copy-paste code from StackOverflow blindly
- Submit PRs just for the sake of numbers
- Be rude or spammy in communication
🧪 Practice Makes Merged
What helped my selection for GSoC:
- Find real issues → fix them
- Explore successful PRs in the repo
- Clone → Setup → Break → Fix → Repeat
- Write your own blog about your experience (like this 😎)
🗣 Final Words
Start small. Stay consistent. Be kind. Ask questions. Keep showing up.
I started doubting myself — today, I’m a GSoC contributor with over 30 merged PRs. You can be next.
DMs open → GitHub, LinkedIn, Twitter — all in the dock. Let’s build open source together.