source/newcomers/gettingStarted.md - comdev-site - Git at Google

 ---
 title: Getting started
 tags: ["newcomers"]
 ---

 # Where do I start?

 If you have no idea where to start your engagement with an Apache project,
 this is the page for you.

 ### Finding the right project

 The key to working on projects at Apache (and on any open source project, for that matter)
 is to have a personal reason for being involved. You might be trying to solve
 a day job issue or learn a new technology, or
 simply want to do something fun in your free time. We don't care what your
 motivation is; we just care about you wanting to get involved.

 If you don't have a specific technical issue to solve you might be willing to
 work on any project. Our [projects page][1] provides a useful index which
 allows you to view projects alphabetically, by category or by coding language. When you view a project's detail page in this list you will find information about their
 mailing lists, issue tracker and other resources.

 You might also like to view our
 [Incubating projects][2]. These projects work in exactly the same way as our "top
 level projects" but are still developing their initial community.

 Once you've found some interesting-looking projects, join their mailing lists and
 start "lurking". Read the mails that come through the list. Initially you will not
 understand what people are talking about, but over time you will start to
 pick up the language, objectives, strategies, concerns and working patterns of the community.

 #### Finding an issue to work on

 If you are trying to satisfy a specific technical problem, you already know
 what you want to work on; but if you are looking for something useful to do in
 order to participate in an ASF project, the project's issue/bug tracker is your
 friend. You can find a link to it from the project's home page or from its entry on the
 projects page linked above.

 In the project's issue tracker you will find details of bugs that have been reported and feature
 requests the project is considering. This should give you some
 inspiration about how you might be able to help the project community. If
 you are looking for a beginner-level issue, try searching Jira or Github for issues
 with the label "GSoC", "mentor",
 "[good-first-issue](https://github.com/search?q=org%3Aapache%20is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3A%22good%20first%20issue%22&type=issues)"
 or "up-for-grabs";
 these are issues the community feels are manageable for someone new to the ASF and their project.

 ## Joining the community

 Once you have identified an issue you would like to tackle, it's time to join the
 project's mailing list (if you haven't already) and get started.

 Remember, community members are usually happy to help you, but they have to get something
 in return. The community needs to believe that you intend to contribute positively
 to their work. There is a limit to how much "hand-holding" you will get, so be ready
 to do some work if you expect to continue to be helped in your first foray into
 open source.

 Alternatively you can dive straight in and work with the community. Since you've
 been lurking on the lists for a while, you
 should have a feel for how to get involved, so go for it.

 A very good first step would be to introduce yourself in an email to the list. Explain your interest in the project and anything relevant in your background or skills, and identify the bug or feature request you would like to work on.

 # Further Reading
   * Read about our [Contributor Ladder](https://community.apache.org/contributor-ladder.html) which explains the steps towards contributing more at the ASF.
   * Answers to some common questions are in our [FAQ][5]
   * To learn more about "The Apache Way" of developing software, see the
 Foundation's [How It Works][6] pages.


   [1]: https://projects.apache.org/
   [2]: https://incubator.apache.org/
   [5]: /newbiefaq.html
   [6]: https://apache.org/foundation/how-it-works.html
	---
	title: Getting started
	tags: ["newcomers"]
	---

	# Where do I start?

	If you have no idea where to start your engagement with an Apache project,
	this is the page for you.

	### Finding the right project

	The key to working on projects at Apache (and on any open source project, for that matter)
	is to have a personal reason for being involved. You might be trying to solve
	a day job issue or learn a new technology, or
	simply want to do something fun in your free time. We don't care what your
	motivation is; we just care about you wanting to get involved.

	If you don't have a specific technical issue to solve you might be willing to
	work on any project. Our [projects page][1] provides a useful index which
	allows you to view projects alphabetically, by category or by coding language. When you view a project's detail page in this list you will find information about their
	mailing lists, issue tracker and other resources.

	You might also like to view our
	[Incubating projects][2]. These projects work in exactly the same way as our "top
	level projects" but are still developing their initial community.

	Once you've found some interesting-looking projects, join their mailing lists and
	start "lurking". Read the mails that come through the list. Initially you will not
	understand what people are talking about, but over time you will start to
	pick up the language, objectives, strategies, concerns and working patterns of the community.

	#### Finding an issue to work on

	If you are trying to satisfy a specific technical problem, you already know
	what you want to work on; but if you are looking for something useful to do in
	order to participate in an ASF project, the project's issue/bug tracker is your
	friend. You can find a link to it from the project's home page or from its entry on the
	projects page linked above.

	In the project's issue tracker you will find details of bugs that have been reported and feature
	requests the project is considering. This should give you some
	inspiration about how you might be able to help the project community. If
	you are looking for a beginner-level issue, try searching Jira or Github for issues
	with the label "GSoC", "mentor",
	"[good-first-issue](https://github.com/search?q=org%3Aapache%20is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3A%22good%20first%20issue%22&type=issues)"
	or "up-for-grabs";
	these are issues the community feels are manageable for someone new to the ASF and their project.

	## Joining the community

	Once you have identified an issue you would like to tackle, it's time to join the
	project's mailing list (if you haven't already) and get started.

	Remember, community members are usually happy to help you, but they have to get something
	in return. The community needs to believe that you intend to contribute positively
	to their work. There is a limit to how much "hand-holding" you will get, so be ready
	to do some work if you expect to continue to be helped in your first foray into
	open source.

	Alternatively you can dive straight in and work with the community. Since you've
	been lurking on the lists for a while, you
	should have a feel for how to get involved, so go for it.

	A very good first step would be to introduce yourself in an email to the list. Explain your interest in the project and anything relevant in your background or skills, and identify the bug or feature request you would like to work on.

	# Further Reading
	* Read about our [Contributor Ladder](https://community.apache.org/contributor-ladder.html) which explains the steps towards contributing more at the ASF.
	* Answers to some common questions are in our [FAQ][5]
	* To learn more about "The Apache Way" of developing software, see the
	Foundation's [How It Works][6] pages.


	[1]: https://projects.apache.org/
	[2]: https://incubator.apache.org/
	[5]: /newbiefaq.html
	[6]: https://apache.org/foundation/how-it-works.html