
Ask HN: How to start reading the source code of an open source project - we_write_code
I am very interested in contributing to the open source community, and hope to eventually be able to create and share my own projects with the community too.<p>I decided to learn by reading and analyzing the code of already well established project first, and get to know how projects are structured. But it seems very overwhelming if I just try to sit down and start reading the code without a clear path or strategy in mind, even if the project may be a relatively small one (a JS library under 7k LOC for example). I don&#x27;t know if I should read the code from the entrance point to finish (which seems to require tons of patience), or start from the usage POV (how some features are implemented).<p>Does anyone have some advice for reading and analyzing a project?<p>Thank you!
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Libbum
Personally (and I don't think I'm alone in this), I find it quite difficult to
read a codebase top to bottom to 'understand' it. Someone else's code, no
matter how good it is written, is difficult to grok without context.

To answer you question directly: the best way I've come across to become
acquainted with any project is to find an issue that causes you a problem (or
one you at least find interesting), and dig in from there. You'll read the
codebase in a more directed manner this way. And hey, you may even find the
bug!

Check out the 'good first issue' flags on some of the popular repos you like.
Usually they will have a good deal of background about what the problem is, so
you can dive right in.

