Hacktoberfest: How You Can Contribute to Open Source and Make a Difference in 2024

Have you heard about Hacktoberfest? If not, you’re in for a treat! Whether you’re an experienced developer or just starting out, Hacktoberfest is a fantastic way to get involved in open-source projects, learn new things, and connect with people from around the world. Plus, there’s some awesome swag involved!

In this blog, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Hacktoberfest 2024 and how you can take part, even if you’ve never contributed to open-source before.

What Exactly is Hacktoberfest?

Hacktoberfest is a month-long event that happens every October. It’s all about encouraging people to contribute to open-source projects—which are software projects that anyone can help improve.

Launched by DigitalOcean in partnership with GitHub back in 2014, Hacktoberfest has grown into a global event where thousands of people from different backgrounds join forces to make open-source software better.

Whether you're writing code, fixing bugs, working on documentation, or even just offering feedback, there’s a way for everyone to contribute. The best part? If you submit at least four contributions (called “pull requests” or PRs), you can earn a free Hacktoberfest T-shirt or choose to plant a tree in your name as part of their eco-friendly initiative. 🌱

Why Should You Join Hacktoberfest?

There are a bunch of reasons why you should consider joining Hacktoberfest, especially if you love learning, building, and giving back to the community:

1- Level Up Your Skills: Whether you’re learning to code or honing your skills, contributing to real-world projects gives you hands-on experience. You'll learn new languages, frameworks, or tools that will boost your technical skills.

2- Build Connections: Hacktoberfest is a global event, which means you'll get to collaborate with people from all over the world. You might even find yourself working alongside professionals, which is a great way to expand your network.

3- Make an Impact: Open-source software powers so many of the tools and technologies we use every day. By contributing, you’re helping build and improve something that benefits people across the globe.

4- Earn Swag: Who doesn’t love some free goodies? Completing Hacktoberfest earns you a limited-edition T-shirt or the option to plant a tree as part of the event’s sustainability efforts.

How to Get Involved in Hacktoberfest

Ready to jump in? Here’s how you can get started:

1. Sign Up

Head over to the Hacktoberfest website to register. You can sign in using your GitHub or GitLab account—these are the platforms where you’ll be submitting your contributions.

2. Find a Project to Contribute To

Once you’re registered, you need to find open-source projects that you want to work on. Here’s how to pick one:

Look for Hacktoberfest Tags: Many projects that participate in Hacktoberfest will label beginner-friendly issues with tags like hacktoberfest or good-first-issue. These are great starting points, especially if you’re new to open source.

Follow Your Interests: Are you into web development? Or maybe machine learning? There are tons of projects covering all sorts of fields. Pick one that aligns with what you’re passionate about.

Check Out Lists of Participating Repositories: GitHub and GitLab often have curated lists of projects looking for contributors. Plus, many developers share Hacktoberfest-friendly repositories on Twitter, Discord, and Reddit.

Links to find projects 👇

[GitHub] Participating Hacktoberfest projects
[GitLab] Participating Hacktoberfest projects
[GitHub] Explore projects with issues on up-for-grabs.net
[GitHub] Explore projects with issues on goodfirstissue.dev
[GitHub] Explore Hacktoberfest projects on hacktoberfest-projects.vercel.app

Check out my Github Repositories for some beginner friendly Contribution.

3. Start Contributing

Now that you’ve found a project, it’s time to make your contributions. You can help by:

Writing Code: Find issues that involve writing new features or fixing bugs.

Improving Documentation: This is often overlooked but super important! Clear documentation helps others understand how to use or contribute to a project.

Design Work: If you’re a designer, you can contribute by improving the user experience or creating assets for the project.

4. Submit Your Pull Requests

Once you’ve made your changes, you’ll submit a pull request (PR). This is where you ask the project maintainers to review your contribution and merge it into the main project.

To complete Hacktoberfest, you need to submit at least four valid PRs by the end of October. Once approved or merged, they count toward your progress.

5. Track Your Progress

You can keep an eye on how many PRs you’ve submitted through your Hacktoberfest dashboard. This will show you which PRs have been approved, and how close you are to completing the challenge.

What’s New for Hacktoberfest 2024?

Hacktoberfest evolves each year, and 2024 brings a few key updates:

1- More Ways to Contribute: You don’t have to be a coder to join in. Contributions can include documentation updates, translation work, or even design improvements. There’s something for everyone.

2- Quality Over Quantity: To avoid low-quality or spammy contributions, Hacktoberfest has stricter guidelines. Only meaningful contributions count, so make sure your work follows the project’s guidelines.

3- Sustainability Focus: This year, Hacktoberfest encourages participants to choose between receiving a T-shirt or planting a tree. It’s part of their effort to make the event more eco-friendly.

Tips for a Successful Hacktoberfest

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of Hacktoberfest:

1- Start Early: Popular projects can get a ton of pull requests, so it’s best to start early to ensure your contributions are noticed.

2- Follow the Guidelines: Every project has its own contribution rules. Read these carefully before submitting a PR to make sure your work isn’t rejected.

3- Ask for Help: Don’t be shy! If you get stuck or need clarification, reach out to the project maintainers or community for guidance. You can join our Open source community on whatsapp!

4- Focus on Learning: Hacktoberfest isn’t just about getting a T-shirt. It’s about learning and growing as a developer. Take this chance to work on projects that will help you improve your skills.

5- Quality Matters: Instead of submitting four quick fixes, focus on making valuable, high-quality contributions. A well-thought-out PR will benefit the project and leave a better impression.

Wrapping Up

Hacktoberfest is a unique opportunity for developers of all skill levels to get involved with open source, make a difference, and learn something new. Whether you’re looking to contribute code, improve documentation, or just explore what the world of open-source has to offer, Hacktoberfest is the perfect way to get started.

So, what are you waiting for? Register, find a project, and start making your mark on the open-source community.👨‍💻

Happy contributing!

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