
First Timers Only - gtirloni
https://kentcdodds.com/blog/first-timers-only
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RileyJames
I've found a few bugs in some ruby gems, while I've been learning how to use
them.

After a little googling, I often find a related issue on github, either
directly related, or close enough to determine it's possibly a bug, rather
than a misunderstanding of the docs.

To confirm / deny if it's a bug, I'll pull the gem & write tests. If it's a
bug, I'll commit my tests and mention them in the issue.

I'd love to fix it myself, but having only started trying to use the code that
day, it's usually beyond me to understand the library to the extent that I can
fix anything but the most trivial of bugs.

But, if one of the existing contributors pointed me in the right direction, I
reckon I could get it done.

I agree that writing a complete feature is an awesome first contribution, but
writing the tests is a simpler first step, and logically the first step in
confirming a bug as opposed to a misunderstanding of (or lack of) docs. It
could also lead to a bug fix (or a full feature).

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j88439h84
GitHub has a tag called "good first issue" for this.

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maddyboo
This is a beautiful idea. A great way to cut through some of the fear and
uncertainty that I know many new developers face.

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lefrenchy
Kent Dodds is so wholesome. Just all around positive and awesome.

