A beginner-friendly open source program by The BYTE Club, NIE. Put your name on this page, level up one pull request at a time, and graduate to real-world projects.
Make your first PRpsst… the terminal in the picture actually works.
Start here
Six stops. Each one teaches you one new open source skill. Click a stop to see what's there, and tick it off when you're done. This browser remembers where you are.
Pick a stop to begin.
Get your GitHub account ready and introduce yourself. No code yet, just getting your bags packed.
Create a GitHub accountyou'll do
you'll learn
Put your name on this website. You'll add one small file, open a pull request, and a bot merges it once it checks out.
Follow the guideyou'll do
contributors/your-username.jsonyou'll learn
Pick a real issue and fix it. Docs are where most open source contributors start, and maintainers love them.
Find a level-2 issueyou'll do
/assignCloses #issue-numberyou'll learn
Change real code on this site. A maintainer will review it and probably ask for changes. That's normal, and it's the most useful part.
Find a level-3 issueyou'll do
you'll learn
Propose something new for this site, talk it through with maintainers, then build it.
Find a level-4 issueyou'll do
you'll learn
The real goal. Find a project you actually use and get a pull request merged there. Graduates go in the Hall of Fame.
Find a beginner issueyou'll do
you'll learn
Level 1 guide
Fill in your details and every command below fills itself in for you. Copy, paste, done.
≈ 30 minutes.
Promise.
your details
contributors/your-username.json
your shortcuts
Merged? Show it off on your GitHub profile README:
[](https://byteopensource.github.io/)Check whether you already have it. If you see a version number, you're set.
git --versionxcode-select --install in Terminal.sudo apt install git.Can't install anything? Open the project in GitHub Codespaces. It's VS Code and Git in your browser, free for students.
Then tell Git who you are, or your first commit will fail. Use the email on your GitHub account so commits show up on your profile.
git config --global user.name "Your Name"git config --global user.email "you@example.com"This makes your own copy on GitHub that you're allowed to change.
Fork it on GitHubDownload your copy to your laptop.
git clone https://github.com/your-username/byteopensource.github.io.gitcd byteopensource.github.ioKeep your change separate from main.
git checkout -b add-your-usernameCreate contributors/your-username.json and paste in your file from the details card.
Save your change with a message, then send it to your fork.
git add contributors/your-username.jsongit commit -m "Add your-username to contributors"git push origin add-your-usernameGo to your fork on GitHub and click Compare & pull request. A bot checks your file and merges it, and your face shows up on this page.
Open a pull requestThis button opens GitHub in a new tab with your file name and contents already filled in. Keep this page open for the next steps.
Create my file on GitHubFirst type your GitHub username in the details card, so the file gets your name.
GitHub may say you can't edit this repo directly. Click Fork this repository. If the file name or the text box is empty after that, copy both from your details card: the name is contributors/your-username.json and the text is in the dark box with the copy button.
Click Commit changes…, then Propose changes.
Click Create pull request. A bot checks your file and merges it. Try the terminal way at Level 3, you'll need it there.
Merged? Go tick off Level 1 on the journey ↑
Cheat sheet
The commands you'll actually use, in plain English. Type what you want to do.
Bookmark this.
Seriously ✱
git clone https://github.com/your-username/byteopensource.github.io.gitDownloads your fork. You only do this once.
git statusgit diffstatus lists changed files, diff shows the exact lines.
git switch -c my-changeMakes a new branch and moves you onto it. One branch per pull request.
git add .git commit -m "Describe what you changed"add picks the changes, commit saves them with a message.
git push origin my-changeUploads your branch to your fork. Then open a pull request on GitHub.
git remote add upstream https://github.com/byteopensource/byteopensource.github.io.gitgit pull upstream mainThe first line is a one-time setup. After that, just run the second line.
git restore path/to/filePuts the file back to your last commit. Careful: the changes are gone for good.
git reset --soft HEAD~1Un-saves the commit but keeps your changes, so you can fix and commit again.
git commit --amend -m "Better message"Only before you push. After pushing, just make a new commit instead.
git log --onelineOne line per commit, newest first. Press q to exit.
0 / 16 learned. Guess the meaning, then tap a card to check.
·
Nothing for that yet. Ask us ↓
Community
Every face here made their first pull request. Hover a polaroid to say hi, or click to see their GitHub.
0 students
in so far
top of the board
PRs merged so far
The board opens with the first merged PR. Could be yours.
A merged PR scores its level: a Level 3 PR is 3 points.
No one matches that. Typo, or not in yet?
Show it off
Make your own Open Source BYTE card in seconds. Student, maintainer, mentor or just curious, everyone gets one. Contributors get their real number on it. Post it and tag @thebyteclubnie.
Made on your device.
Nothing gets uploaded ✱
your card
move your mouse over it ↻
Next steps
Level 5 is where this program ends and the real thing starts. These programs take students every year, and many of them pay. Your BYTE pull requests are the practice round.
Dates change every
year. Always check
the official site ✱
A month-long open source celebration with events to learn and build together. The easiest place to start.
visit ↗ SummerIndia's big beginner-friendly program. Months of contributing to projects with mentors, open to everyone.
visit ↗ Applications in spring · paidSpend the summer on a real project with an open source organisation and a mentor, with a stipend from Google.
visit ↗ Several terms a year · paidPaid mentorships on Linux Foundation projects like Kubernetes and Node.js tooling.
visit ↗ Several batches a yearA remote, 12-week program where you contribute to open source in a small team.
visit ↗ Two rounds a year · paidPaid internships in open source for people underrepresented in tech.
visit ↗Most of these ask what you've already contributed. A few merged PRs here, with good descriptions, make your application stronger.
Reading
Stories, guides and lessons from the club. Wrote about your own first PR? Add it to blogs.json in a pull request.
Good reads for
rainy commits ☂
Help
You're not the
only one ♡
still stuck?
Ask us directly. Paste the exact error you see, and someone from the club will help.
Ask a questionYes. Levels 0 and 1 assume zero experience. If installing Git feels scary, use the Browser only route for your first PR and learn the terminal later.
No. Levels 0 to 2 are mostly writing and editing text. Code starts at Level 3, and by then you'll know the workflow.
You're pushing to the club's repo instead of your fork. Fork first, clone your fork, then push there.
On your fork's GitHub page, click Sync fork, then run git pull on your laptop.
No need to close it. Fix the file, commit, and push to the same branch. Your PR updates itself.
Two people changed the same lines. Git marks both versions in the file with <<<<<<< and >>>>>>>. Keep the right lines, delete the markers, then commit. You'll practise this at Level 3.
One per person. Your contributor file is yours to keep. After that, move on to Level 2 issues.
Level 1 PRs are checked and merged automatically. Everything else gets a reply from a maintainer within 48 hours.
Talk to us
Stuck, confused, or just curious? Ask here. Your question goes to the club's GitHub Discussions, a member replies within 48 hours, and the next person with the same question finds the answer too.
No question is
too basic ♡
your question
Post it on GitHub so everyone can learn from it, or send it privately by email. Either way, paste the exact error if there is one.
A club member answers within 48 hours, on GitHub or straight to your inbox.
Good questions turn into FAQ entries and cheat-sheet cards, so the next student gets unstuck faster.
