CoPilotKit & Hacktoberfest 2024

CoPilotKit is one of the sponsors for Hacktoberfest this year. One of the companies I am contributing to is CoPilot, but because Hacktoberfest requires contributions to different repositories, my pull request (PR) to one CoPilot repo will not count toward both contributions. So, I will need to make a second PR to a different repository within CoPilot. Fortunately, CoPilot has prepared some "Good First Issues" specifically for Hacktoberfest, along with some swag for contributors.

Last year, I had the reverse situation during Hacktoberfest. I worked on a project that counted as a valid PR for two different repositories, even though they were owned by different companies. It was more straightforward because I only had to submit a new PR for the same work. However, this year, CoPilot’s challenge is more complex. One PR requires building a new application on top of their AI, while the other PR focuses on an unrelated project request. This forces me to work with two distinct parts of the CoPilot ecosystem, giving me exposure to new technologies and workflows.

Also, if any of the issues I have encountered making the new project appear in future projects, I’ll be able to recognize them and help avoid any pitfalls in the future, as well as be able to possibly discover new solutions to existing problems, and share my knowledge with the team.

While some new Hacktoberfest participants might see the need for two separate PRs as a challenge, I see it as a valuable learning opportunity. Contributing to different repositories encourages you to work with different parts of a company's tech stack, which strengthens your problem-solving skills and exposes you to new tools and techniques. Open-source contributions are meant to foster growth not just in the projects you work on, but also in your personal development as a developer.

So the next time you see this issue or something that requires extra work to complete something. Look at it as a growth opportunity where you can level up your software engineering chops and as an opportunity to make another meaningful contribution to your team.