Intro

Greetings, I'm Khushi Gupta, and I'm excited to share my journey as a maintainer during Hacktoberfest 2023. This year's Hacktoberfest marks the first time I've taken on the role of a maintainer, and it's been a rewarding and enlightening experience. You can find my GitHub profile here.
Project

Let me introduce you to the open-source repository I've had the pleasure of maintaining during Hacktoberfest 2023. As a maintainer, my role involved setting up processes to review and merge pull requests efficiently.

Review and Merge Process: To streamline the contributions, we established a few key processes. We actively labeled issues as "Hacktoberfest-friendly" to guide contributors toward tasks that align with the event's spirit. We also set up a clear and friendly contribution guide to help newcomers understand our expectations and the steps they need to take to submit a successful pull request.

Pull requests were carefully reviewed to ensure they met our quality and coding standards. Contributors received feedback promptly, helping them improve their code. The project's continuous integration system automatically ran tests, ensuring that changes did not break existing functionality. This approach helped maintain the overall project stability while accommodating new features and improvements.
Highs and Lows

Maintaining an open-source project during Hacktoberfest came with its share of highs and lows.

Highs: One of the most rewarding moments was witnessing the enthusiasm and dedication of contributors. It was gratifying to see new contributors, as well as experienced ones, taking an active interest in our project. Watching their skills and understanding of the project grow over the course of Hacktoberfest was truly inspiring.

Additionally, experiencing a sense of camaraderie and collaboration within the open-source community was a highlight. Many contributors provided valuable insights and suggestions, leading to not only code improvements but also the project's growth and evolution.

Lows: Like any undertaking, there were challenges. Some pull requests encountered complex conflicts or required significant adjustments to align with the project's goals. Maintainers had to invest additional time and effort to guide contributors through these situations, and sometimes it felt like an uphill battle. However, these moments also allowed everyone to learn and adapt.
Growth

Before Hacktoberfest 2023, my role as a maintainer was centered around project management and code quality assurance. However, this Hacktoberfest has significantly contributed to my personal and professional growth.

Skillset Before: My skillset before Hacktoberfest included proficiency in version control, experience in maintaining an open-source project, and an understanding of code review processes. However, my experience with handling a surge of new contributors and managing the associated challenges was limited.

How It Improved: Hacktoberfest 2023 has expanded my skills in community management, conflict resolution, and mentorship. It has been an invaluable learning experience in terms of teamwork, communication, and ensuring that open-source projects remain inclusive and accessible. My understanding of collaboration tools, such as GitHub, has also deepened, making me more effective as a maintainer.

Changed Project Goals: This Hacktoberfest has reshaped the goals for the project I maintain. It has underscored the importance of fostering a welcoming and encouraging atmosphere for newcomers and helping them develop their skills. Moving forward, the project's goals are to continue to provide a platform for learning and growth, not only for contributors but for myself as well.