The ideology of Open-Source and its related concepts.
What the heck is open-source?
Open-Source, usually a software or a program gives you access to the complete source code. It is visible to the entire world. The access may extend to its implementation, design, or sometimes even reconfiguration of the actual code-base.
Open Source Softwares encourages developers along with other contributors to freely share technological advancements so as to enhance human lifestyle, provide more comfort, upgrade product security and many more.
Well, who all are open-source?
Start naming technologies you’re aware of and google it! Chances are that 50% of them are open-source. Well, that was my stat. You can count your own.
React (from Facebook) is an open-source JavaScript Framework. Mozilla Firefox is an open-sourec web-browser. Linux Kernel and all distros based on it like Ubuntu, Arch Linux, Linux Mint, Kali Linux, and many more have their source code open to the world. The most loved and most efficient code editor, Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has its source code in its GitHub Repository . Dockers, Gatsby, and many many more goes in the list.
Ok, so now that I know what is open-source. What actually goes into the project?
You don’t have to always contribute code.
A common misconception about contributing to open source is that you need to contribute code. In fact, it’s often the other parts of a project that are most neglected or overlooked. You’ll do the project a huge favor by offering to pitch in with other types of contributions!
Even if you do not like to write code, other types of contributions are a great way to get involved with a project and meet other community members. Building those relationships will give you opportunities to work on other parts of the project.
Documentation is the most important part of a software. It acts as a channel between a user and the developers. Unless the Documentation is great, no matter how efficient your code is, its a flop. Well, its well known that most developers aren’t always Shakespeare. Channelise your language proficiency skills, stuffed with rich vocabulary and garnish it with your persuasive style of writing. And woah! You’re a contributor to the open-source project.
Alright, now let’s dive into the Technical Stuffs!
What other technologies are invloved in this open-sourcing thing?
Version Control System : Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Version control is a mechanism where people collaborate collectively, innovate progressively by rolling newer verisons, and when mistakes are made they can quickly and effectively rely on their previous version.
Flexibilty and security are the building blocks of version control system. Flexibility allows you to dynamically commit changes which can be deployed. Security ensures that even if something goes wrong in newer version, you can fall back on the previous versions for stability.
Git is a version Control System, offering you the CI/CD features.
You can learn Git from the YouTube channel. My Favourite one!
What after Git?
Git is a mechanism, but to connect to other developers, we need a common platform. GitHub is the platform!
Its just like your mobile phone is GitHub and the sim card is Git. Even without sim, the phone functions properly, but to connect to other people you need to put in the same card.
Well, there are many sim cards and mobile phones to choose from. But who doesn’t want the latest iPhone with a 4G sim? It is for this that we choose Git and GitHub.
Hey, but What are the other mobile brands?
Other than GitHub, very well-known Git supporting platforms are : GitLab, Apache Subversion, Mercurial, AWS CodeCommit by AWS, BitBucket by Atlassian, etc etc etc…
Well, thats more than enough for the basics of open-source. And congrats now you know about Git and GitHub.
If you wish to refer a presentation for the same, I’ve got you covered. Go to Presentation on Open-Source.
If you want to absorb more of the ins-and-outs of Git and GitHub, do checkout the the presentation.
Good Luck Contributors!
Stay Connected with me here : Vishal Gorai
