My Journey Through Hacktoberfest 2024

#devchallenge #hacktoberfestchallenge #hacktoberfest #opensource

When I first heard about Hacktoberfest in the She Code Africa Slack channel, I was intrigued but unsure. The beautifully animated website immediately hooked me, though the vast list of GitHub repositories felt daunting.

Finding My Feet

The turning point came during an Expo session where Busayo Ojo broke down the event and shared strategies for finding projects that matched my skills. Armed with newfound confidence, I registered and began scouting for projects where I could contribute as both a developer and technical writer.

First Contributions: Struggling and Succeeding

By October 9, just days after registering, I felt a sense of frustration. It seemed like everyone around me was securing tasks and getting assigned issues, while I was still pitching myself to project maintainers. My first project, Minifolio, led me to propose more edits than I had planned, pushing me to up my contributions. Shortly after, I found AgencyWebsite, where I enhanced the README and CONTRIBUTING.md files—a natural fit for my technical writing skills.

My journey continued with Flowinance and my first Wiki page contribution, which was a valuable learning experience. My final PR was with JobSewa, where I revamped the UI on the job application page, blending design and development for a user-friendly interface.

Projects

Minifolio
Minimal portfolio template for developers
Repo | Live link
Contributions: Proposed significant UI improvements.
AgencyWebsite
React/Vite-based agency website enhanced with 3D elements
Repo
Contributions: Enhanced documentation with a refined README and CONTRIBUTING.md.
Flowinance
Financial management app for transaction tracking
Repo | Wiki
Contributions: Created Wiki documentation to improve project navigation.
JobSewa
Job portal for connecting agricultural workers and employers
Repo | Live link
Contributions: Redesigned the UI for the job application page.

Each of these projects allowed me to apply and grow my skills as both a developer and technical writer while collaborating with fantastic maintainers and contributors!

Key Takeaways

Open source is for everyone, regardless of your experience level.
Share your ideas freely; it’s how the best outcomes happen.
Embrace feedback; corrections help you grow.
Open-source projects can feel overwhelming, but the rewards outweigh the hurdles.

Special Thanks

Heartfelt appreciation to the Hacktoberfest organizers and project maintainers who made this journey worthwhile—your dedication made open-source accessible and welcoming.

Big thanks to Victory Ejike for encouraging me to bid for projects, even when I lacked experience. To the incredible, badass product designers who, despite their busy schedules, took the time to give me valuable feedback — Faith Egwenu and Sophia Adepoju; thank you for the design inspirations that elevated my contributions. Your creativity and guidance were instrumental in shaping my UI enhancements!

Looking Ahead

Hacktoberfest was a rollercoaster of emotions and wins. With each PR, I became more comfortable in open-source spaces, learned to balance roles as a developer and writer, and built valuable skills. I’m eager to continue contributing to open-source, knowing persistence pays off and every project offers fresh lessons. Here’s to many more Hacktoberfests!