Your first contribution, one step at a time.

You don’t need to understand an entire codebase to make a useful change. Start with a project you want to understand.

Choose the project before the task

Read the README and try the project. A tool you already use gives you a reason to care and some context for what should happen. Documentation, tests, accessibility, translations and small bug fixes can all be meaningful contributions.

Browse the project directory or find an issue by language. A good first issue label suggests the maintainer welcomes new contributors. It does not prove that the task is easy or still available.

Read before claiming

Open the issue on GitHub and read the full discussion. Look for an assignee, recent comments, linked pull requests and signs that someone is already working on it. If availability is unclear, ask a specific question and follow the project’s instructions for claiming work.

Use a first-timers-only issue only if you meet the project’s eligibility rules. These issues are often reserved for people who have never contributed before.

Set up a small, testable change

Read CONTRIBUTING.md, the code of conduct, setup notes and any AI-use policy. Follow the supported environment and run the relevant checks before editing. If setup fails, a clear reproduction or a documentation correction may itself be useful.

Keep the change focused on the agreed issue. Include a test or a concrete verification when the behavior calls for one. Do not mix formatting changes, refactors or unrelated features into the patch.

Open a pull request with evidence

Explain the problem, what changed and how you checked it. Link the issue, follow the pull request template, and disclose assistance when the project asks for it. Review the full diff yourself before submitting.

Respond to review comments and ask when the reasoning is unclear. Maintainers may take time to reply. A contribution is a collaboration, and a listing here does not guarantee a merge.

Still learning the GitHub workflow?

First Contributions walks through a practice contribution. First Timers Only explains newcomer-friendly issues. GitHub’s contribution guide covers the platform workflow.

Find a contribution to start with