What open source is

Open-source software comes with its source code and a license that lets anyone read it, use it, change it and share it. Linux, Python, Git, gcc, Firefox and VS Code are all open source, and so is StepVioz. Most of the software you use every day stands on open-source code.

Why contribute?

• You learn from real code, far bigger than any class project.
• Experienced programmers review your work, for free.
• Your contributions are public: employers can see them.
• You give something back to the tools you use.

Code is only one way to help. Projects also need bug reports, clearer documentation, tests, answers to other users' questions, and reviews.

Licenses

The license says what others may do with the code. Without one, the code is "all rights reserved": you may read it, but not legally copy or change it.

StepVioz's code is under MIT, and its lessons under CC BY-SA 4.0.

What a project looks like

files = ["README.md", "LICENSE", "setup.py", "src/app.py", "tests/test_app.py"]
expected = ["README.md", "LICENSE", "CONTRIBUTING.md", "CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md"]

missing = []
for name in expected:
    if name in files:
        print("found:  ", name)
    else:
        print("missing:", name)
        missing.append(name)

print(len(missing), "file(s) to add")

Most projects have the same few files at the top. This program checks a list of files for them:

• README.md: what the project is, and how to install and run it. Always read it first.
• LICENSE: the license.
• CONTRIBUTING.md: how to contribute: how to set up, run the tests and send a change.
• CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md: how people are expected to treat each other.

On GitHub or GitLab, a project also has an issue tracker (bug reports and ideas) and pull requests (changes waiting to be added). The people who decide what goes in are the maintainers; everyone who sends changes is a contributor.

Mark lesson complete