Introduction

Open-source projects are an important part of the tech industry. They allow developers to collaborate on projects, share knowledge, and create software anyone can use. However, you don’t have to be a developer to contribute to open-source projects. There are many ways to get involved, even if you don’t have a background in programming.

This article outlines ways to contribute to open source as a non-developer.

If you are new to open source, I wrote an article on “A-Z of Open Source for Beginners.” You can read it here.

Ways to contribute to open-source as a non-developer

Here are seven ways that you can contribute to open-source projects without coding:

1. Design
2. Documentation
3. Testing
4. Translation
5. Community building
6. User support
7. Fundraising

Design

Some open-source projects need help with design work, such as creating logos or improving the look and feel of the user interface. You can contribute by creating graphics for the project if you have design skills. Look for projects that have an open call for designs.

Designers can contribute to open-source projects in several ways, including:

• Creating or improving user interfaces: Designers can help improve the look and feel of an open-source project’s user interface, making it more attractive and user-friendly.
• Designing logos and other visual assets: Many open-source projects need help creating logos, icons, and other visual assets.
• Improving the website: Designers can help improve the design of an open-source project, making it more visually appealing and easy to navigate.
• Designing marketing materials: Designers can help create marketing materials, such as flyers, posters, and social media graphics, to promote an open-source project.

Documentation

One of the most important parts of any project is documentation. Documentation helps users understand how things work in an application or program so they know what features it offers and how best to use them, and it helps developers understand how the code works. You can contribute to the project by creating documentation if you have good writing skills. You can start by looking at the project’s existing documentation and identifying areas that could be improved or expanded upon. Many open-source projects need help with documentation. This can include writing user guides, tutorials, and FAQs. 

Writing clear instructions also makes it easier for developers who need help understanding something in the codebase or want guidance on using certain APIs within their project.

Testing

Contributing to open-source projects through testing can be done in a variety of ways;

• Test the software and report any bugs or issues you encounter, but look through previous bug reports on the project GitHub or GitLab page to ensure the bug has not already been reported. This helps improve the quality of the software and ensures that it works as intended. 
• Create test cases to document the expected behaviour of the software and identify edge cases that should be tested. This helps ensure the software is thoroughly tested and works correctly in all scenarios. 
• Participate in code reviews and provide feedback on the quality and testability of the code. 
• Contribute to the automated testing effort by writing and running automated tests for the software. This helps the project maintainers fix issues and improve the software.

Translation

Contributing translations is a way to use your natural language skills to help others to use the software.

Many open-source projects are used worldwide, so it’s important to have the software and documentation available in multiple languages. You can contribute by translating the software or documentation if you speak a language other than English. This involves translating existing text-based materials associated with respective open-source projects into different languages. Look for translation projects or contact the project team to see if they need help with translation. This allows a wider audience access to products and services offered, improving chances of success.

Community building

Open-source projects thrive on community support. You can help build the community by participating in forums, answering questions from other users, and promoting the project on social media. 

If you have skills in community management or social media, you can help the project’s team by building and managing the community. You can help an open-source project by spreading the word about it and promoting it to potential users and contributors.

User support

Many open-source projects have forums or other resources where users can ask for help. You can contribute to these communities by answering questions and helping other users. Also, provide technical support for end users having difficulty getting started with particular aspects of any given open source project, whether it’s troubleshooting issues encountered during installation, configuration, usage, etc. Providing prompt customer service & assistance will go a long way toward ensuring successful adoption rates amongst the user base, which ultimately translates into increased loyalty & popularity among community members/ stakeholders alike.

Fundraising

Some open-source projects rely on donations to fund their development. You can raise funds for an open source project in many ways – from crowdfunding campaigns through sites like Kickstarter, holding fundraising events or campaigns, and asking friends directly for donations towards specific initiatives within the project. 

Some projects on GitHub require sponsorship. You can sponsor anyone with a sponsored developer or sponsored organization profile on your personal or organizational account.

Conclusion

Contributing to open-source projects is a great way to give back to the tech community, even if you don’t have a background in programming. By using your skills in documentation, translation, testing, design, or community building, you can help make open-source software more accessible and user-friendly. 

If you’re interested in contributing to open-source projects, don’t let a lack of programming experience hold you back. 

Follow me here on Hashnode and Twitter for more articles, and stay tuned for my next article on Contributing to open-source projects as a technical writer.