Hello,

I have been thinking about making the jump towards Open Source, not just using OSS but also contributing to it.

First, some OSS projects/apps I know of are Peertube, Lemmy (right now using Voyager app), Mastodon, Matrix (used to use the Element app, gave up because I realized it was too hard for those around me who got used to Whatsapp), OpenStreetMap (through OrganicMaps), Jellyfin, and Actual Budget, Godot Engine, Luanti, GrapheneOS... I might know more, but those are the ones I remember right now.

Second, I have some basic experience with programming (mainly Java [haven't learnt GUI yet tho], SQL, and C# for Unity videogames), but no experience entering an already created codebase yet, let alone making changes and sending them (and I admit I might need to get some practice with Git), so it is pretty intimidating. Do you have any advice about it?

Third, I'd like to hear about projects you find interesting or useful. Not neccesarily to contribute or even use them myself, but I'm interested in which other projects there are out there.

Edit: Thank you for the responses, what I got was basically find OSS to replace not-OSS I currently use, and contribute either fixing issues myself, helping with other stuff (making issues, writting or translating documentation, helping newer users), or giving feedback on the project.

Basically two choices:

1. Find a project you're interested in and make a contribution. Many projects tag certain issues with something like "Good First Issue" as a way of lowering barriers to entry. Other things are updating documentation, fixing typos, then you can branch out into patches and pull requests.
2. Make your own FOSS project.

Pretty much on point.

You don't have to touch the whole codebase to contribute, you can only touch the parts you are familiar with.

Find something wrong or something you think could be improved. Check if it's a raised issue or on a roadmap. If not, raise the issue.
Fork the repo, fix the issue, make a pull request.

Github is probably the most accessible for doing this, create an account and learn the basics.

Find something broken or missing something, fix it.

Use a software you like, find something you would change about it, report a bug and get maintainer approval, try your hand at it.

It’s not actually important to succeed, you will learn a kot trying. But it sure does feel good using software you helped create.

You've already done the first step, which is actually using FOSS software. That's the only way to get real context on what you're contributing to and find issues or lack of features that bothers you or is incredibly specific to your system or use case, and fix something that maybe would not have come up otherwise or no one would have time to get to.

Filtering issues by 'Good First Issue' as someone said is also a really good way to find tasks that are relatively easy to get your feet wet with a codebase. Don't feel bad about taking on too many of them, it's better that someone does them all and gains enough experience to become a regular contributor, than the rest of them collecting dust until someone else like you shows up.

Don't worry too much about not knowing X or Y language, the great thing about being into FOSS is that you get to become a multilingual developer, which is very eye opening and educational as opposed to sticking to a language like Java and never realizing the limitations it has or even the benefits it has relative to other languages, and use that knowledge to be a better engineer overall.
It's easier to learn new languages nowadays, plenty of guides and docs to find, and AI can help for more specialized and context aware questions, just don't fall into the trap of letting AI do the job for you, you would only be fooling yourself.

Also don't underestimate the value of small contributions like documentation updates, translations, creating issues, etc. You don't need to come up with a PR for every issue you create, just finding things and keeping active is enough when you don't have the time or energy to go the whole way.

Lots of good advice here. Best method arises but cannot be sought. When you run into something broken or you don’t like, don’t set it aside hoping somebody else will fix it. Fix it.

Even if the maintainer doesn’t want your change. This is the best way to grow the seeds of software freedom you’ve already planted by caring. This is the fundamental ethos in my view of a good steward of the community. When something isn’t ideal, they make it work for themself and then are willing to share if others find it useful.

You can also contribute to OpenStreetMap in your area using simple apps like StreetComplete or EveryDoor. This has a way lower barrier to entry than contributing code in my opinion. And it has the immediate benefit of a better local map for a LOT of services that are built on top of OSM.

If code is where you'd like to contribute, a lot of large projects label some non-critical and low-complexity fixes for known issues as "beginner contributions". They should be relatively easy contributions, for folks with some background in code.

Of course, if you have spare cash flow, donate a fiver to your favorite open source project. It goes a long way.

If simply using it is the goal, check out f-droid for android, an alternative app store for open source apps, and look into open source replacements for your usual suite of apps. It feels good to use, and to know you're keeping your own data yours.

A lot of the replies so far focus on fixing the problem yourself, which is awesome if you're a coder.

But even reporting problems is a big help to all projects. Found a bug? Report it - give the right information and be cordial.

Also, contribute sensible suggestions. Some smaller projects suffer from a single owner not understanding how others might use their work because they don't have that perspective (certainly an issue for me). Plus, getting involved and contributing this way can be a huge motivator to these small projects. It can be pretty disheartening to work hard on a passion project and not hear anything back from users.

You don't need to get into Open Source as a developer unless you're comfortable doing so. But that doesn't mean you can't jump in as a user. It really is as simple as typing "Best Open Source 'fill-in-the-blank'" and finding some projects that interest you.

Once you start using Open Source, you'll enter a community of other users who are always discussing different aspects of projects; which projects need maintainers/coders, which group is planning a fork, etc... You'll get to know the community by simply being part of the community.

Secondly, and this is one that I don't think get's mentioned often enough, just because you're not contributing code, doesn't mean you're not contributing. Again it comes back to that community we've built around us; if you're comfortable with the FOSS software that you use, you'll invariably stumble across new users with questions or advice, whether it be on the github or on forums or here on Lemmy, or even that site that must not be named.

Your involvement in helping others IS contributing.

Okay, thanks for the advice :3

Already got the Github account, and know some basics, but I think I should learn further as I only know the basics (forking, making branches, uploading the modified code to my fork, and making pull requests, don't even know to do these in detail so I guess I'll look at more extensive Git and Github tutorials lol)

Okay, thank you for the advice! Definitely, if I'm gonna get into the codebase, I'm not gonna let AI do the work for me, if I wanted to I'd just straight up tell the maintainers to lol.

Thank you for the advice!

That makes sense, will bear it in mind, too. Not neccesarily need to contribute directly, but just being part of the community.

Okay, get practice with it even if it gets rejected, thanks for the advice

Okay, wil lcheck for begginer contributions- I do use some apps from f-droid already, might donate once I do have spare cash flow, thanks for the advice :3

Thank you! Got StreetComplete now and started contributing through it on my way home :b

So making sure all bugs are accounted for, and making suggestions/giving feedback to developers, thanks for the advice

Welcome to the community!

Surprised more people arnt mentioning FOSS projects they like. The one I'll throw out is Immich, a self hostable Google photos alternative.

This. After leaving Reddit I feel like I lost a place I could post about my little foss app and get people to try it. Specially in the niche topics.

I am trying my best to get people I know try but they don't understand the domain, and I don't have a reach to people that will understand

I know what you mean - although I've found the... receptiveness? on lemmy is generally better than reddit for most things, but yes, the scale is tiny in comparison.

That good! Now you also need to find something you want to fix or improve :)

If you want to text normal people, I recommend Cheogram (XMPP) rather than Element. It's more of an open internet standard, it's very lightweight and battle tested, and the app I mentioned for Android can be bridged to phone+SMS gateways, there are some default services available or you can be very industrious and make your own

If you're looking for more examples of software to replace what you have, Pipepipe is probably the best vehicle to directly stick your thumb in Google's eye. It's the most frequently-updated NewPipe fork

... you need motivation something that you are trying to improve ...

wanting to fix something that annoys you works much better. lol

do you know of there's a web front-end/port/app for cheogram that can be used on a browser?

i started using cheogram recently, but it only seems to work on my phone and i'm too much of a crusty dinosaur to switch from using my laptop to using my phone most of the time.

Yeah they actually recommend the Cheogram web client as a way to use the phone gateway on desktop in addition to Dino (and the irritating Jitsi/Jami SIP setup that works if you don't mind two apps and are attached to your Gajim setup). I had not noticed, or that there is in fact a directory of public Jabber rooms, until today

IIRC you are American (sorry for the insult if not) which means you have a great phone gateway option. I did not: had to contact my telecom tbqh it took like two months 🤣 🤫

IIRC you are American (sorry for the insult if not) ...

lmao

which means you have a great phone gateway option. I did not: had to contact my telecom tbqh it took like two months 🤣 🤫

i'm surprised to learn this; which country?