I think one thing that keeps people from contributing to open source is the idea that you have to be really good at coding first.
You don't.
Start small
You can begin with something tiny. You don't need a big feature or a complicated pull request, and one small improvement can still make someone's day a little easier.
Honestly the easiest first pull request there is.
If something confused you, rewrite it so it doesn't confuse the next person.
Say what you did and what happened.
Answer a question, or explain how a project works.
Why Necoz
I recently joined Necoz, and the idea behind it is what got me:
Everyone is welcome there, first-timers included. The projects are on GitHub, and I'm looking forward to exploring them and being part of the community.
Thanks to @nyaomaru for the invite and for creating Necoz's home here on DEV.
Hi to the rest of the team too: @johnnylemonny , @dj29 , @leob , @technogamerz and @star123.
Want to join Necoz on DEV?
The announcement post says to leave a comment and nyaomaru will send you an invitation. You don't have to write articles or contribute anything to join. Following the org only shows you its updates, while joining makes you an actual member.
Your turn
I'd love to hear your stories! πΈ
Top comments (24)
I really resonate with this. Improving documentation might seem like a small contribution, but it can have a big impact.
I contributed to the MCP Python SDK to clarify what MCP actually is. Since it's still a relatively new and evolving concept, I felt it needed a clearer introduction rather than assuming everyone in tech already knows about it.
Sometimes, a little clarity goes a long way!
Thatβs a great example of why documentation matters. A clear introduction can make someone feel welcome instead of lost. β€οΈ
Oh that's incredible.
you are right, I'm still stuck in how to contribute to opensource project. But I like the purpose since I discover it.
I'll join for sure,
Thank you so much! πΈπ
And donβt worry, figuring out how to start contributing to open source can feel confusing at first.
Thatβs exactly why I want Necoz to be a place where you can start small, learn as you go, and contribute at your own pace. πβ¨
Iβve hit DEVβs daily invitation limit for today, so Iβll send you an invitation tomorrow!
Really happy to have you joining us! π
Ok, dont worry. Ty a lot :D
Good news! πΈπ
I just sent you the invitation!
Please check it when you get a chance. Hope to see you in Necoz soon! πβ¨
accepted :D
YAY!!! Welcome to Necoz ππΈ
Welcome π
Welcome to Necoz, @hanzla, and thanks for the warm shoutout! This post captures the exact spirit of why we started building together. Clarifying a confusing doc or fixing a single typo is just as meaningful as shipping complex code, and it really removes the intimidation factor for newcomers. Glad to have you on the team. πΈπ
Really happy to be here! πΈ It's lovely to see a community where even the smallest contributions are appreciated. Excited to build and learn with you all!
This is the nudge a lot of first-time contributors need. The typo fix and the documentation clarification are real contributions β they are often the ones that help the next person the most, and they teach you the workflow without the pressure of a big feature. I also liked the reminder that helping someone understand a project counts. Small, simple, and useful is a good place to start, and a good place to stay.
I really like how you put this. Sometimes helping the next person get started is more valuable than we realize. That's what makes small contributions worth it. π
Thank you so much for writing this! πΈπ
This is exactly the kind of message I hoped Necoz could help spread.
I also really liked how you organized the article with card-style sections. Everything was very well structured and easy to read! π
And the thumbnail looks great too! The image fits the message of the article perfectly. πΈβ¨
Open source doesnβt have to start with a huge feature. A typo fix, a small test, better docs, or simply helping someone can all be meaningful contributions.
Iβm really happy to have you as part of the community, and Iβm looking forward to growing Necoz together! πβ¨
Thank you! πΈ Iβm really glad to be part of Necoz. Looking forward to getting involved, learning from everyone, and building some cool things together! π
Docs are the most underrated first contribution. If something confused you while setting up a project, that confusion is fresh and useful, and maintainers who've used the project for years can't see it anymore. Write it down before you get used to it.
Absolutely agree! Documentation is a great way for newcomers to contribute. Sometimes a small clarification or a missing setup step can save hours for someone else. Fresh perspectives matter because what seems obvious to experienced developers might be confusing for beginners. That's what makes community-driven documentation so valuable!
Exactly! And I think that's something experienced developers can easily overlook. When you've worked with a project for a long time, you stop noticing the little things that might confuse someone new. Sometimes it just takes a fresh pair of eyes to spot them. π
This is such a good point. The longer you work with a project, the easier it is to forget which parts were confusing when you first came across them. A small note in the docs can save the next person a lot of time. Really glad you brought this up π
Absolutely! I think this also highlights why open-source communities need to value contributions beyond code. Whether it's improving documentation, reporting an issue, helping a newcomer, or clarifying a confusing feature, every small effort makes a project more welcoming and easier to maintain. Sometimes the smallest contribution creates the biggest difference for the next person. π
βSmall. Simple. Useful. Built Together! πΈβ
I absolutely loved this line! It feels so good to be a part of this organization. And @hanzla , this is such a great post!
Glad you liked it! π That's what makes Necoz special. It's nice being part of something we're all building together.
Small contributions compound when maintainers make the first step low-risk and reviewable. A one-file documentation fix with clear local validation can teach a projectβs conventions faster than a vague invitation to help out, and it gives newcomers a concrete success path.
True, sometimes people just need one small thing they can pick up and finish. That first little win can make contributing feel a lot less intimidating. π