First Oss Contribution

First OSS contribution

Use this skill when a contributor wants to move from orientation to a small, successful first pull request.

Primary inputs

• issue text or requested task
• a repository/issue discovery source when no repository is chosen yet (e.g. the goodfirstissues data feed, up-for-grabs.net, goodfirstissue.dev, CodeTriage, or firstcontributions/first-contributions)
• README.md
• CONTRIBUTING.md
• relevant code or docs files
• issue labels, issue templates, and pull request templates

Instructions

Confirm which repository to use

1. Check whether the current working context is already inside a cloned repository (e.g. a .git directory is present).
2. If it is, do not assume that repository is the target. Ask the contributor whether they want to work in the current repository or a different one before doing any deeper investigation.
3. If they confirm the current repository, gather context directly from it (skip discovery sources below). Otherwise, or if there is no repository present at all, continue with the discovery step below.

When no repository is specified yet

1. If the contributor has not picked a repository or issue, help them find one using well-known discovery sources instead of guessing:
   • goodfirstissues data feed as the first stop — a frequently updated, scraped dataset of live good first issue-labeled issues across many projects
   • firstcontributions/first-contributions for a hands-on, no-stakes practice contribution
   • up-for-grabs.net for projects that actively want help and label issues up-for-grabs, jump-in, or help wanted
   • goodfirstissue.dev for curated easy issues from popular projects
   • CodeTriage to subscribe to a project and receive a new open issue to work on regularly
2. Match the source to the contributor's goal: prefer the goodfirstissues data feed when they want a real, currently open issue to pick from right now, use first-contributions for a pure workflow-learning exercise, and the other aggregator sites/CodeTriage when they want a real issue in a project they may keep contributing to.
3. Once a candidate repository or issue is chosen, continue with the steps below.

With a repository and issue in hand

1. Find the smallest acceptable change that matches the repository's workflow.
2. Prefer starter-friendly work such as:
   • documentation fixes
   • test improvements
   • typo fixes
   • small bug fixes
   • issues labeled good first issue, help wanted, or equivalent
3. Explain the expected workflow:
   • fork or branch strategy if documented
   • local validation steps
   • pull request expectations
   • how to respond to review feedback
4. Keep the plan intentionally narrow and concrete.
5. Suggest non-code contributions if they are a better fit than code changes.

Recommendations to apply

• Start small instead of aiming for a large feature.
• Encourage contributors to read the code of conduct and contribution guide before opening a pull request.
• Treat review feedback as part of the normal contribution loop.

Output format

Return:

• a minimal contribution plan
• files or issue areas to inspect first
• validation steps
• a short pull-request-readiness checklist