When I first heard about Outreachy, I was excited.
Then I looked at the requirements… and reality hit.
I wasn’t “ready.”
I had done tutorials. Built small projects. But contributing to real open-source projects? That felt like a completely different level.
Still, I decided to try.
This is how I prepared — and what actually made a difference.
🚧 Step 1: I Accepted That I Didn’t Know Enough
At the beginning, I kept thinking:
«“I need to learn more before I start contributing.”»
That mindset slowed me down.
What changed everything was realizing:
You don’t need to be fully ready — you just need to start.
Instead of waiting, I began exploring real project repositories.
🔍 Step 2: Learning How to Read Code (Not Just Write It)
One of the biggest challenges was understanding other people’s code.
It wasn’t like tutorials:
- No step-by-step guidance
- No simplified examples
- No clear starting point
At first, it felt overwhelming.
So I changed my approach:
- I focused on small parts of the codebase
- I traced how data flows through the system
- I took notes on what I didn’t understand
Slowly, things started making sense.
🛠️ Step 3: Starting Small (Very Small)
I didn’t try to solve complex issues immediately.
Instead, I looked for:
- Documentation fixes
- Small bugs
- Beginner-friendly issues
These helped me:
- Understand the workflow
- Build confidence
- Learn how contributions actually work
💬 Step 4: Asking Better Questions
At first, I was afraid to ask questions.
But I realized:
Good questions show effort — not weakness.
Instead of saying:
«“I don’t understand this”»
I started asking:
«“I tried X and Y, but I’m confused about Z. Am I approaching this correctly?”»
That small change made people more willing to help.
🔁 Step 5: Embracing Feedback
My early contributions weren’t perfect.
I got feedback like:
- “This can be improved”
- “Consider another approach”
- “Follow project conventions”
At first, it felt discouraging.
But over time, I understood:
Feedback is part of the process — not a sign of failure.
⏳ Step 6: Consistency Over Intensity
I didn’t spend 10 hours a day.
Instead, I showed up consistently:
- Reading code
- Trying small fixes
- Learning from mistakes
Progress was slow… but it was real.
💡 What Actually Worked
Looking back, these made the biggest difference:
- Starting before I felt ready
- Focusing on understanding, not speed
- Taking small, consistent steps
- Asking thoughtful questions
- Learning from feedback instead of avoiding it
🔥 Final Thoughts
Outreachy isn’t just about getting selected.
It’s about becoming a developer who can:
- Work with real codebases
- Collaborate with others
- Learn independently
And that journey starts long before selection.
If you’re preparing right now, just remember:
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to keep showing up.
If you're on a similar journey, I’d love to hear your experience.
Let’s connect:
GitHub: https://github.com/Brace1000
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/brianoiko
This article was originally published by DEV Community and written by Brian Oiko.
Read original article on DEV Community