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Top 10 Open Source Projects for Beginners to Contribute To

#opensource #github #programming #beginners

Top 10 Open Source Projects for Beginners to Contribute To

Getting into open source can feel like showing up to a party where everyone already knows each other. You want to help, but where do you even start? The truth is, contributing early builds real skills — Git workflows, code review etiquette, reading unfamiliar codebases — that you just can’t get from tutorials. And the good news? There are tons of projects actively looking for beginner help.

Here are 10 beginner-friendly open source projects that welcome new contributors, with practical tips on how to get started.

1. first-contributions (GitHub)

Repo: https://github.com/first-contributions/first-contributions

This isn’t a real-world app — it’s a training ground. It walks you through forking, branching, committing, and opening a PR with a simple text file edit.

Why it’s great:

  • Zero coding required.
  • Step-by-step guide with visuals.
  • Instant feedback via automated checks.

Quick start:

git clone https://github.com/your-username/first-contributions.git
cd first-contributions
# Add your name to Contributors.md
git add Contributors.md
git commit -m "Add <your-name>"
git push origin main
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Then open a PR. Done. You’ve contributed.

2. The Odin Project

Repo: https://github.com/TheOdinProject/theodinproject

A free curriculum for learning web dev — built by the community, for the community.

Beginner tasks:

  • Fix typos in lesson markdown files.
  • Improve code examples.
  • Translate content.

How to find issues:
Look for labels like good first issue or content.

Example fix:

<!-- In a lesson file -->
- Use `const` for variables that won't be reassigned.
+ Use `const` for variables that won't be reassigned. Prefer it over `var`.
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Small edits matter — especially when thousands are learning from it.

3. Public APIs

Repo: https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis

A curated list of free APIs. No code, just Markdown.

Good for:

  • Learning Git basics.
  • Practicing PR etiquette.
  • Helping others discover tools.

Contribute by:

  • Adding a new API (with auth type, HTTPS, CORS).
  • Fixing broken links.

Example PR:

| API | Description | Auth | HTTPS | CORS |
|-----|-------------|------|-------|------|
| [JSONPlaceholder](https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com) | Fake REST API | No | Yes | Yes |
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Check the PR template — they’re strict about formatting.

4. freeCodeCamp

Repo: https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/freeCodeCamp

One of the largest open source education platforms. Thousands of contributors.

Beginner paths:

  • Fix bugs in the learning platform (React/Node.js).
  • Update curriculum (Markdown).
  • Improve accessibility.

Pro tip: Run the app locally first:

git clone https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/freeCodeCamp.git
cd freeCodeCamp
# Install dependencies
pnpm install
# Start dev server
pnpm run dev
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Look for first-timers-only or help-wanted issues.

5. Zulip

Repo: https://github.com/zulip/zulip

Open source team chat app (like Slack). Python/Django + JavaScript.

Why it’s beginner-friendly:

  • Excellent contributor docs.
  • Friendly community.
  • Many small frontend/backend bugs labeled good first issue.

Example: Fix a typo in a button

// In frontend code
<button className="btn">
-  "Submit Resonse"
+  "Submit Response"
</button>
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They use GitHub workflows and have a live dev chat — ask questions freely.

6. Jupyter Notebook

Repo: https://github.com/jupyter/notebook

The tool millions use for data science. Python-based.

Beginner tasks:

  • Improve documentation.
  • Fix small UI bugs.
  • Write tutorials.

Tip: Start with type: docs or good first issue labels.

Even updating a docstring helps:

def save_notebook(self):
    """Save the current notebook to disk."""
    # Add error handling docs
    pass
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They use GitHub + Discourse for discussion.

7. VS Code (via Monaco Editor or Docs)

Repo: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode

You don’t have to touch the core editor. Start with docs or the website.

Easier entry points:

Example: Update a code snippet

<!-- In a markdown doc -->
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js
console.log("Hello World")

→ Add semicolon
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js
console.log("Hello World");

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They get tons of PRs — keep commits clean and focused.

8. **Lib

☕ Playful

Top comments (2)

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peacebinflow profile image
PEACEBINFLOW •

What gets me about the first-contributions repo—the one that’s basically a practice PR with a text file—is how it quietly solves the real bottleneck: not skill, but orientation.

Most beginners aren’t blocked by complexity. They’re blocked by not knowing where the door is. A project like that isn’t really teaching Git mechanics; it’s teaching the shape of the ritual. Fork, branch, commit, PR, merge. Once you’ve felt that loop end-to-end, even on a markdown file, the mystique around “contributing” dissolves. You realize most open source work, even on big projects, is just that same loop with more context.

It reminds me that the most useful learning tools are often the ones that strip away all domain knowledge and leave just the form. A haiku, not a novel. Makes me wonder how many other skills have a hidden entry barrier that’s really just not knowing what the first move looks like. What’s another field where that first ritual matters more than the actual difficulty?

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mattjc profile image
MattJ-C •

Great list. Thanks for pointing out these beginner resources. Looks like maybe the post isn’t complete yet. Only seeing 7 complete items and the start to 8.