How to Find Your First Open Source Contribution (Without Feeling Lost or Stuck)

Getting into open source sounds great until you try to actually do it.

The idea is everywhere: “Contribute to open source. It’ll grow your skills. It’ll open doors.” But when you sit down to start, there’s this frustrating silence in your head. Where do you go? What do you work on? Are you even “good enough” yet?

That moment of paralysis is real. And most people give up there not because they’re not smart or committed, but because no one explains the messy middle between “I want to contribute” and “I just submitted my first PR.”

This article is that missing bridge.

Table of Contents

1. Why finding your first contribution feels hard

2. How to figure out what to contribute to

3. What to do after you find a project

4. Dealing with imposter syndrome

5. Do you need to ask for permission?

6. What to do when no one responds

7. Can you switch or leave a project?

8. How to stay consistent

1. What the problem really is when you’re trying to make your first contribution

The first struggle isn’t technical it’s emotional.

When you’re new, everything looks complicated. Repositories seem hard to understand, contributors sound more experienced, and instructions often assume a level of context you just don’t have yet.

You might wonder:

What if I mess something up?

What if I ask a stupid question?

What if no one responds to me?

How do I know which project even wants help?

The problem isn’t that open source is too hard it’s that it can feel like walking into a party where everyone knows each other, and you’re just standing at the door with a confused look and a bottle of soda no one asked for.

2. How to figure out what to contribute to

Before looking for a project, pause and ask yourself two things:

What am I learning right now (or interested in)?

What kind of contributions would I feel comfortable starting with?

It’s okay to start small. You don’t need to build the next feature or fix a complex bug. Your first contribution could be:

• Fixing a typo or broken link

• Improving a README so it’s clearer for others

• Adding steps to the setup guide

• Translating documentation

• Helping organize issues

Once you’ve figured that out, use tools like:

• goodfirstissue.dev

• Up For Grabs

• CodeTriage

You can also search GitHub topics like beginner-friendly, good-first-issue, or even the stack you’re learning (e.g., react, django, flask) with filters.

And don’t sleep on communities. Join open source spaces like First Contributions, EddieHub, or even Discords related to your tech stack. You’ll often find maintainers posting real-time help requests.

3. What to do after you find a project you like

Found something interesting? Don’t rush to code just yet.

Here’s a simple plan:

1. Read the README: Understand what the project does. Can you explain it to someone else in one sentence?

2. Check the contribution guide: Every project has its own rules. Look for a file called CONTRIBUTING.md or see if the README includes it.

3. Look for beginner-friendly issues: Start with those labeled “good first issue,” “help wanted,” or “documentation.”

4. Join the community (if any): Some projects have Slack, Discord, or GitHub Discussions. Introduce yourself and say you’re new it’s okay!

5. Comment on the issue before working: This helps avoid duplication. Just say something like, “Hi, I’d love to work on this issue as my first contribution. Is it still open?”

Once you get a go-ahead (or if it’s marked open and no one’s working on it), follow the guide, make your changes, and submit a pull request (PR).

4. How to deal with imposter syndrome as a beginner contributor

Let’s name the feeling: “I’m not smart enough to be here.”

That voice is lying to you. Every open source contributor you admire today made their first contribution with fear in their chest. You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re just starting and that’s the bravest thing.

Some things to remind yourself:

• Asking questions is not a sign of weakness it’s a sign of willingness.

• No one expects you to know everything.

• Maintainers actually appreciate contributors who try and communicate clearly.

• Small contributions matter. A fixed typo helps more people than you think.

• You don’t have to prove anything. Just show up and try.

You belong here. And your presence in open source makes the space better.

5. Do you need to ask for permission before contributing?

In most cases no, you don’t need to ask. Open source is built on a principle called “fork and PR.”

That means:

• You can fork a repo (copy it to your own GitHub account).

• Make your changes.

• Open a pull request suggesting your improvement.

If the issue is already labeled and no one is assigned, you can go ahead just leave a quick comment first to let others know you’re working on it.

However, for bigger changes or if the issue isn’t clear, it’s totally fine to ask. Maintainers would rather you ask questions than guess wrong and burn out.

6. What to do if no one responds to your pull request or issue

Unfortunately, not all projects are as responsive as they should be. Maintainers might be busy, or the project may no longer be active.

Here’s what to do:

• Wait a few days and politely follow up. You can comment on the PR or issue with a kind nudge.

• Check if the project has a more active communication channel (like Discord or Slack) and reach out there.

• If you still don’t hear back after a reasonable time (say, 1–2 weeks), it’s okay to let it go and try another project.

Open source isn’t about chasing validation from one repo. It’s about finding places where your effort is seen and valued.

7. Can you leave or switch projects later on?

Absolutely. You don’t owe anyone your energy forever.

You’re allowed to explore. You’re allowed to switch. You’re allowed to say, “This project no longer fits my learning goals.” That’s part of the journey.

The cool thing is, every repo you explore teaches you something new about Git, about communities, about codebases, about yourself.

You’re not flakey for switching. You’re growing.

8. How to stay consistent once you’ve started

Consistency doesn’t mean contributing every day. It means building a rhythm you can sustain.

Here are a few ways to stay engaged:

• Pick a single day each week for open source (e.g., Sundays).

• Set realistic micro-goals (one issue per month, one PR per quarter).

• Track your progress in a journal or GitHub profile.

• Join a community where people share what they’re working on it helps with accountability.

• Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. That motivation matters.

If you miss a few weeks, it’s not failure. Just pick up again. The code will still be there. So will the community.

Final Words

Your first contribution won’t be perfect but it’ll be yours. And that’s what matters most.

Open source isn’t a club for geniuses. It’s a living ecosystem made better by beginners who show up, ask questions, make things clearer, and push the mission forward one issue at a time.

You’re not just learning how to code or collaborate. You’re learning how to take up space in a global community. And that’s powerful.

So go ahead. Find a project, take a deep breath, and make your mark.

You’ve got this.