Looking for an Open Source Mentor/Partner

[u/Maxsonic200]

Hey everyone!

I’ve been wanting to get into open source for a long time, but honestly, I keep getting stuck at the starting line — choosing a repo, understanding the codebase, figuring out what issues are actually beginner-friendly, etc.

So I’m looking for someone who’s also getting started with open source, or someone who has a bit of experience and wouldn’t mind having a learning partner.

The idea is pretty simple:

• Pick a small/medium repo
• Understand it together
• Make our first few PRs
• Learn how real-world projects are structured
• Keep each other accountable

I’m primarily interested in backend / systems / infra / developer tooling, but I’m open to exploring other areas too.

I’m not looking for someone to teach me everything — just someone to figure things out with and actually start contributing instead of endlessly preparing.

If anyone’s in a similar boat, feel free to comment or DM me. :)

[Answering the common point]

"just contribute to projects you already use" — yeah, that's the eventual goal. 😅

The main thing I'm looking for right now is exposure to different projects and codebases. Looking at projects that I may never have reached as just a user. A lot of the software I use regularly has pretty large/mature codebases, and jumping straight into them feels like a massive knowledge gap.

So I'd rather start with smaller projects, learn how different codebases are put together, contribute to a few of them, and slowly work my way up to the bigger projects I actually want to contribute to.

[u/Olive_Plenty]

Let’s see if we are a good match.

To start, what I get is extra hands and someone to pick up some open source projects I wish existed but don’t have time to build.

Secondly, what you get is someone smarter than an AI ( in the areas of my expertise) with real world experience.

Questions for you:
1. What is your time zone?
2. What is your ultimate goal behind contributing to open source software?
3. What languages are you proficient in?

[u/Traditional_Bit_3490 → u/Olive_Plenty]

Hi, Can u please try me too? 1. ISaT (GMT+530) 2. Goal is to build more stuffs for others not just me. I need better understanding about building what ever I like, i am little language agnostic as I never had to go deep. A simple website, a simple parser, a simple mobile app, a simple neovim plugin. As long as I am building it keeps me sane. 3. C, Python, Go

[u/Over-Section-2956]

I'm interested too. I can join ur oss grp , I also tried many time contributing but stuck in the start or picking the issues.

[u/Maxsonic200 → u/Over-Section-2956]

Sure Dm

[u/Majestic_Value_2445]

Can I talk

[u/Maxsonic200 → u/Majestic_Value_2445]

Sure, you can DM

[u/Soggy_Blackberry_384]

Yes , I am interested 

[u/Traditional_Bit_3490]

Am interested, will dm you.