Hacktoberfest 2024: My Journey So Far 🚀

Hey Devs!

It’s my first time diving into Hacktoberfest, and I’ve got to admit — I'm late to the writing challenge. 😅 But guess what? I've already submitted 5 PRs, and 4 are still awaiting review! Fingers crossed they get accepted soon 🤞

For those who don’t know, Hacktoberfest is an annual open-source fiesta that runs from Oct 1 to Oct 31, organized by DigitalOcean, GitHub, and some seriously cool partners. It’s all about diving into open source, leveling up your dev skills, and collaborating with a global squad of coders.

Final review and PR count: The PR counts and review are done on the go and hacktoberfest analyzes the PR every 15 minutes on their official website.

Week 1 of Hacktoberfest: Contributor Mode ON! 🔥

Week one is officially over, and I’m loving every bit of this ride! I’ve soaked up a ton of knowledge, made some solid contributions, and even got 1 PR accepted so far (yes!). The experience has been so rewarding and, honestly, a bit addicting. I’m ready to keep grinding it out for the rest of the month!

Haven’t joined Hacktoberfest yet? What are you waiting for? It’s not too late to dive in—make an impact, flex those coding muscles, and be part of something awesome! 🙌

Why Am I Doing Hacktoberfest?

Honestly? Because open source is where the magic happens. I’m all about learning through real-world projects, and Hacktoberfest is pushing me out of my comfort zone. It’s not just about writing code—it’s about understanding how to collaborate, reading someone else’s code (which is a skill in itself!), and making contributions that matter.

NOTE Open source isn’t just about Hacktoberfest — it’s a year-round opportunity! You can jump in and contribute to any project that aligns with your interests whenever you like.

My Experience So Far: PR accepted 🎉

I kicked off the month with one thought: Let’s just do this! I dove into projects tagged with “good first issue,” and before I knew it, I had 5 PRs in the wild!

But here’s the thing—submitting PRs is just the start. You have to patiently wait for maintainers to review your work, and yes, that takes some serious patience. But honestly, every step of the process has been such a blast! 🚀

What I’ve Learned Along the Way:

• Collaboration is Key: Code is only part of the journey. Contributing to open source teaches you how to communicate with maintainers and fellow contributors.

• Git & GitHub Mastery: It’s more than just committing and pushing. I’ve learned to resolve merge conflicts, write meaningful commit messages, and handle feedback like a pro.

• No Contribution is Too Small: Whether you’re fixing a typo or building out a new feature, it all counts if it helps the project grow!

What’s Next?

I’m on the hunt for more issues to tackle! My goal is to keep submitting PRs and to get those 4 PRs accepted soon. Why stop at 4 when I can aim for more, right? 😎

If you’re still thinking about joining Hacktoberfest, stop thinking and start coding! There are tons of projects out there that could use your help, no matter your skill level. Plus, there’s some cool swag's waiting at the end of it all. 🎁

Join the Hacktoberfest Challenge! 💻

If you haven’t registered yet, do it now! There’s still plenty of time to get in on the action. Sign up, contribute, and be part of this open-source adventure!

Thanks for reading!

In open source, we rise by lifting each other’s code 🌟

– Yasheela

This is a submission for the 2024 Hacktoberfest Writing challenge: Contributor Experience