Abstract
Everyone was once a newcomer to open source — including me. In this talk, I’ll share the story of my very first contribution: fixing a bug in swift-format that caused annoying error popups in Xcode 16. From discovering the issue, hesitating at the first step, fumbling through the repo, to finally submitting (and surviving) my first Pull Request, I’ll walk you through the entire journey.
This wasn’t just a technical challenge — it was a process of overcoming self-doubt, breaking through my comfort zone, and connecting with the open source community. Through my story, I hope you’ll see that even as a total beginner, you can find a sense of belonging in the community and make a difference with just a little bit of courage. If you’ve ever wanted to join open source but hesitated to take the leap, this talk is for you.
Key Takeaways
- You don’t have to be an expert to make a meaningful contribution to open source
- Getting started is easier than you think—all it takes is the willingness to try
- The open source community is warmer and more welcoming than you might expect