Best practices as contributors
Open-Source Contributor Guidelines: Get It Right
Welcome to open source! Ready to make your mark? Awesome—but there are some rules to follow if you want to be taken seriously. This guide will tell you exactly how to be a valuable contributor and avoid getting on anyone’s bad side. Let’s get into it.
Communicate or lose your spot
You’ve got work assigned? Great! Now, keep the maintainers and the community in the loop. They need to know what you’re doing, where you’re stuck, or if you’ve hit a roadblock.
Make sure to look for their Telegram or Discord groups, or ask them what is the best way to reach them.
Don't give any updates? Don’t be surprised if they reassign the issue. Open-source is fast-paced, and if you’re not showing progress, they’ll move on. It’s not personal—it’s about getting things done.
And remember, don’t harass. If you ask a question and don’t get an answer right away, chill. Wait 2-3 days before following up. Everyone has their own life, other projects, and work outside open source. Harassing the team will only make you look unprofessional and pushy.
Stay connected and help others
You’re part of a community, not just working solo. Don’t stay in your own bubble. Get active in the project’s Telegram, Discord, or forums. Engage with others, ask questions, and most importantly, help out when you can.
Someone new struggling? Show them the way. Not only is it a great way to build your own knowledge, but it also shows you care about the project’s success, not just your own work.
Respect is non-negotiable
Respect goes both ways. Be respectful to everyone—maintainers, contributors, AND the OnlyDust team. Think before you send that message. Don’t spam the team with, “Where’s my payment?” or hound them with unnecessary requests.
If you’re disrespectful, you’ll get banned, no second chances. Don’t ruin your opportunity to contribute by being rude or entitled.
Respect also means not hogging issues. Don’t apply for every issue just to snag it for yourself and then sit on it without doing the work. Apply for what you know you can deliver. If you bite off more than you can chew, step aside and give others a chance.
Use AI, don’t abuse AI
We know AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful, but don’t use it as a shortcut. Using AI to pump out generic applications or have it write entire blocks of code for you? Maintainers can tell, and it’ll just make you look bad.
Open source is about real contributors who are committed to the project. Use AI as a tool—to brainstorm, check ideas, or help with some tasks—not to do your job for you. If you rely on AI too much, why are you even here? Remember, the goal is to grow your skills, not to take the easy way out.
Apply with purpose
Don’t go clicking "Apply" on every issue like you’re playing the lottery. Read the issue carefully, understand the project, and make sure it’s something you’re qualified to handle. Applying for random tasks just wastes everyone’s time and makes you look unfocused.
When you do apply, commit to the work. Once you’ve been assigned an issue, own it. If for some reason you can’t continue or something comes up, be honest—ask the maintainer to reassign the task. Don’t ghost or disappear. It’s about respecting the process.
Commit to delivering
Once you’ve been assigned an issue, it’s time to commit. This means:
- Update maintainers on your progress.
- Ask for help if you get stuck—don’t struggle in silence.
- If you can’t deliver for any reason, speak up so the issue can be reassigned.
Maintain good communication from start to finish. You’re not expected to be perfect, but you are expected to be reliable.
And when you get feedback? Take it seriously. If a maintainer suggests you rework something or fully test your code, do it. Feedback is there to help you improve, not to annoy you. The faster you get comfortable with feedback, the better contributor you’ll be.
Write Good Code (Yes, it’s that simple)
You’re contributing to a project, so the expectation is high-quality, well-thought-out code. Sounds obvious, but it needs to be said. You can’t just copy-paste code from ChatGPT and call it a day.
Your code should be:
- Clean: Easy to read and maintain.
- Tested: Don’t ship it without running proper tests.
- Aligned with the project’s standards: Follow the project’s contribution guidelines to the letter.
AI tools are fine to help you think, but they won’t write top-notch code for you. In the end, it’s your work that matters—show that you care about what you’re contributing.
Just don’t be that contributor
If you follow these simple guidelines, you’ll fit right in and become a valuable part of the ecosystem.
But ignore them? You’ll stand out for all the wrong reasons.
So communicate clearly, respect everyone, use AI wisely, and most importantly, commit to the work you take on. If you do, you’ll build a reputation as a strong, reliable contributor who’s here for the long haul.
Now go out there and show them what you’ve got. 👊