How to Participate in Hacktoberfest
Technical Writer
Open source is all about teamwork, people from different places coming together to build, improve, and share projects that anyone can use. Hacktoberfest is a fun, month-long event held every October that encourages everyone, from first-time contributors to seasoned developers, to contribute to open-source projects. The best part is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie or a senior developer; as long as you know a bit about Git, GitHub, and making pull requests, you’re good to go. To complete Hacktoberfest, you only need to make four meaningful contributions throughout the month.
In this article, I’ll walk you through what Hacktoberfest is, how to sign up, why contributing can help you grow your skills and career, how to find your first project, and some organizations you can start contributing to.
What is Hacktoberfest
Hacktoberfest, hosted annually by DigitalOcean, is a month-long celebration that inspires people to contribute to open source every October. Much of today’s technology, including some of DigitalOcean’s own products, relies on open-source projects built and maintained by dedicated individuals who often lack large teams or budgets to sustain their work beyond its initial development. Hacktoberfest is about giving back to these projects, improving your skills, and celebrating the spirit of open source, especially the community of people who make it thrive.
Hacktoberfest began in 2013, launched by cloud provider DigitalOcean as a way to inspire developers to contribute to open source and kickstart their journey. What started small quickly gained momentum, growing from just 676 participants in 2014 to nearly 147,000 in 2023. Today, it has become much more than just an event.
Hacktoberfest now welcomes not only developers but people across all areas of tech. Designers, technical writers, project managers, marketers, and everyone in between all have a place. At its core, Hacktoberfest is a celebration of the open-source spirit and one of the best ways to get involved in the global open-source community.
Getting Started with Hacktoberfest
Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open source, and getting started is easy! To make the most of it and earn rewards, follow these steps:
Sign up between September 26 and October 31 via this link.
Create pull/merge requests to projects participating in Hacktoberfest on GitHub or GitLab.
Get your pull/merge requests approved by project maintainers.
Aim to submit 6 high-quality pull/merge requests between October 1 and October 31, with project maintainers accepting your pull/merge requests for them to count toward your total
You’ll unlock a digital badge when you register for Hacktoberfest, and level it up with each of your 6 pull/merge requests accepted during Hacktoberfest
Tools and Prerequisites for Hacktoberfest
A GitHub or GitLab Account
GitHub and GitLab are platforms that host code and enable version control and collaboration. They make it easy for developers to work on projects together from anywhere in the world. During Hacktoberfest, these platforms will be your primary space for contributing to open-source projects.
Set Up Git on Your Local Machine
Git is a free, open-source distributed version control system that helps you manage projects of any size efficiently. At its core, Git tracks changes to your files and folders, making collaboration easier. During Hacktoberfest, you’ll rely on Git to make and share contributions to open-source projects.
Install a Code Editor
A code editor is the workspace where you’ll write and edit your code, similar to how a word processor is used for text documents. It’s an essential tool for making contributions to open-source projects during Hacktoberfest. There are many options available, but some popular choices include:
Visual Studio Code
Sublime Text
Git Cheat Sheet for Contributing to Projects
1. Create a Branch
Use descriptive branch names that reflect the feature or fix you’re working on, e.g., add-login-feature or login-feature.
git checkout -b <branch-name>
Example:
git checkout -b login-feature
This command creates the branch and switches to it. After creating your branch, make your changes or additions.
2. Stage and Commit Changes
Once you’ve made your contributions, stage and commit them:
git add.
git commit -m "Your descriptive commit message"
This records your changes in the branch.
3. Pull Updates from Upstream
Before pushing, merge any updates from the upstream repository to avoid conflicts:
git pull upstream <branch-name>
This ensures your branch is up to date with the main project.
4. Push Changes to Your Branch
Finally, push your committed changes to your branch on your fork:
git push origin <branch-name>
Now your changes are ready for a pull request.
Non-Coding Ways to Contribute to Open Source
Contributing to open source doesn’t always mean writing code. There are numerous low-code and no-code options to make a significant impact. Here are a few meaningful contributions you can explore:
Documentation: Good documentation makes a project easier to use and understand. If you enjoy writing, you can contribute by improving guides, tutorials, or project wikis.
Design: From logos and icons to website layouts, designers can create projects that are visually appealing and user-friendly.
Translation: Help make projects accessible worldwide by translating documentation and interfaces into different languages.
Testing: Spotting bugs and reporting issues improves project stability and reliability.
Community: Support project growth by engaging with users, answering questions, or organizing events.
Blog Writing: Write articles or tutorials about a project to raise awareness and share its impact.
Social Media: Promote projects on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram to help them reach new audiences.
Accessibility: Ensure projects are usable by everyone, including people with disabilities, by improving accessibility features.
Finding Your First Hacktoberfest Project
GitHub and GitLab are excellent places to discover Hacktoberfest issues that match your skill set. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you find and start contributing to your first Hacktoberfest project.
1. GitHub
GitHub is the world’s largest open-source platform, hosting millions of projects. It’s an ideal place to start your Hacktoberfest journey.
The simplest way to find Hacktoberfest-friendly projects is to visit GitHub’s Hacktoberfest topics page, which curates all repositories participating in the event.
You can also discover projects by searching for the Hacktoberfest topic on GitHub. This search will display all repositories that reference Hacktoberfest anywhere in their project description.
2. GitLab
GitLab is a well-known open-source platform with thousands of projects, making it another excellent place to start your Hacktoberfest journey. The process for finding projects here is similar to GitHub.
The simplest way to explore Hacktoberfest projects on GitLab is to visit the Hacktoberfest topic page, which gathers all repositories participating in the event.
Tips for Choosing the Right Open-Source Project
CONTRIBUTING Guide
One crucial aspect to check when selecting a project is its CONTRIBUTING guide. This guide provides essential information on how to contribute effectively. It typically covers the project’s code of conduct, setup instructions, running tests, submitting contributions, and other relevant topics.
Additionally, it may include details about the project roadmap, reporting bugs, requesting features, or asking questions. Reading the CONTRIBUTING guide ensures your contributions are meaningful and align with the project’s expectations. You can usually find this file in the root directory, often named CONTRIBUTING or CONTRIBUTING.md, or linked within the project’s README.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The CODE OF CONDUCT defines the expected behavior for all contributors and the consequences of unacceptable actions. It helps foster a respectful, inclusive, and ethical environment, ensuring compliance with laws and promoting positive collaboration and teamwork.
Always review the CODE OF CONDUCT before contributing to a project.
This file is typically located in the root directory and may be named CODE_OF_CONDUCT. It may be linked to in the README.
README File
The README is the first file to check when selecting a project, as it contains crucial information about the project. It typically explains the project’s purpose, how it works, the tools and technologies used, and the licensing details.
The README also often guides contributing, helping you understand the type of contributions the project is looking for and how to make them effectively. Always review the README before deciding to contribute.
Issues and Pull Requests
An issue represents a problem, bug, feature request, or question related to the project. Contributors or maintainers can create issues. The Issues page lists all project issues, helping you identify existing problems, see what’s already being addressed, and find tasks you can contribute to.
A pull request (PR) is a proposal to merge changes into the project. Like issues, pull requests can be submitted by contributors or maintainers. The Pull Requests page shows all PRs, allowing you to track proposed changes and see what work is currently under review.
Best Practices for First-Time Hacktoberfest Contributors
1. Open an issue before making changes
Before fixing a bug or adding a new feature, create an issue and share your idea with the project maintainers. This ensures your work aligns with the project’s goals and prevents duplicate efforts. If you’re unsure about the best approach, don’t hesitate to ask for guidance or feedback from maintainers and fellow contributors.
2. Follow the project's style guidelines
Every project has its own style guidelines and best practices for writing code. Take some time to understand them and follow them closely. This helps keep the code consistent and easy to read. If you’re unsure about anything, ask the maintainers or other contributors for guidance.
3. Choose descriptive branch names
Branch names should clearly indicate their purpose. Avoid vague names like feature or bugfix. Instead, use names that describe the specific work being done. For example:
git checkout -b add-sms-feature
git checkout -b fix-login-bug
4. Write clear commit messages
Good commit messages help your team understand the changes you make. Keep them concise, descriptive, and informative, explaining both what the commit does and why it’s needed. Avoid vague messages like fixes bug or updates code. Instead, use a clear title and, if necessary, add context in the body. For example:
git commit -m "Add new SMS feature to the app"
git commit -m "Fix bug preventing users from logging in"
Beginner Tips for Contributing to Open Source
1. Learn about the project
Before contributing, take time to understand the project. Please read the README and CONTRIBUTING files to learn about the project's purpose, the tools and technologies it utilizes, and how to set it up locally. Check the Issues section to find problems or feature requests you can work on.
2. Choose a project that interests you
Select a project you genuinely care about or already use. When you’re interested, it’s easier to stay motivated and come up with meaningful contribution ideas.
3. Engage with the community
Open source is all about collaboration. Follow the project on GitHub or GitLab, join its Slack or Discord channels, and connect with other contributors. This helps you stay updated, ask questions, and learn from others.
4. Start small
As a first-time contributor, start with small tasks, such as correcting typos, enhancing documentation, or resolving simple issues. This helps you get comfortable with the codebase, workflows, and tools before moving on to bigger contributions.
Organizations that are currently participating in Hacktoberfest
I've compiled a short list of organizations that are beginner-friendly and enjoyable to work with.
1. jargons.dev
jargons.dev is an open-source dictionary for tech terms, built and maintained by the community. It’s an excellent place for both beginners and experienced contributors to get involved—whether through writing, editing, coding, or improving documentation.
You can get started by exploring open issues on their GitHub
2. Layer5
Layer5 is participating in Hacktoberfest 2025 with a focus on designing with Meshery, their cloud native management plane. They’re creating opportunities for contributors of all levels to get involved in design, development, documentation, and more.
3. Mautic
Hacktoberfest 2025 has arrived, and the Mautic community wants YOU! Interested in no-code contributions; Mautic is also bridging the gap for low-code and no-code contributors. This means you can add value in areas like:
Documentation & guides
Education & training materials
Design & user experience
Community engagement & translation
Testing & feedback
4. Kestra
Kestra is joining Hacktoberfest 2025, supporting developers from around the world to make the most of the event. They provide opportunities to contribute across their workflow automation platform, either in code, documentation, or community engagement.
- .NET Foundation
The .NET Foundation is participating in Hacktoberfest 2025, inviting contributors to get involved in open-source projects throughout October. Contributors can also earn a digital certificate from the .NET Foundation in recognition of their participation.
6. Jentic
Jentic is participating in Hacktoberfest 2025 and welcomes contributions to their projects. Opportunities are available for coding, documentation, and more.
Explore their repositories here:
Conclusion
Hacktoberfest is more than just writing code; it’s about learning, connecting, and growing with the open-source community. Beyond signing up, consider joining the Hacktoberfest Discord server, where you can connect with other participants, ask questions, and get support from experienced contributors.
Knowing how to find the right project is key to a successful Hacktoberfest journey. Start small, engage with the community, and make meaningful contributions. To dive deeper and get the most out of the experience, visit the official Hacktoberfest page.
Further Reading & Resources
Getting started with open-source can feel overwhelming, but these resources provide clear explanations and practical guidance to help you along the way:
Introduction to GitHub and Open-Source Projects – A beginner’s guide to understanding the basics of contributing, collaborating, and navigating repositories.
How to Contribute to Open Source Projects – A step-by-step guide that walks you through finding beginner-friendly repositories, understanding contribution guidelines, and making your first pull request with confidence.
What is Open Source – An overview that explains the meaning of open source, why it matters, and how it powers collaboration and innovation in software development.
