You made it! 😊
Oh hey, welcome back! 😊 I see that your first contribution was merged congratulations! You’re making waves in the open source world! 🎉 What, you want to do another one? Alright! 😊 Now before you start PR-bombing other projects, there’s another thing you must know: how to raise an issue. Remember how Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio told us as kids that our wishes will come true regardless of who we are if we wish upon a star? Well, issues are like that, wishes that we share with the stars (or in this case, the open source’s project leaders) and hope they happen. What makes raising issues even greater is that they are pretty easy to do, so take your magic wand (or computer's mouse in the case) and sit tight because we’re about to go on a magic carpet ride.
No issues = No Open Source Projects
Like the fairies in Neverland, issues are the energy of open source projects. Without the input and ideas of users, these projects lose their magic and may struggle to survive. By making feature requests, you play a critical role in shaping the direction and success of the project. For example, when I was scrolling through EddieHub's Linkfree website and had an idea: what if there was a chart comparing Linkfree and Linktree? I mean, who doesn't love a good chart? So, I shared my idea with the project leaders, and they were on board faster than Fairy Godmother saying "Bibibty Boppity Boo." What made it even better is that other members of the community joined in to help make the feature request a reality. Right now, it's still a work in progress, and I'm eagerly awaiting the day when that chart goes live and blows people's minds.
Ok now that I showed you the power of raising issues, let me show you how to make wishes, I mean raise issues.
How to do the Raise an issue spell
Contrary to popular belief, raising an issue is not that hard. All it takes are the following steps:
Click on the repository of your choice.
Click on the New Issue button: This button is usually located near the top of the repository page and may be labeled "New Issue", "Feature", “Bug report", or something similar.
Fill out the issue form of your choice & click on Submit New Issue
The exact form may vary depending on the project, but it typically includes fields for the issue title, description, and any relevant labels or milestones. Be as detailed and specific as possible to help the project maintainers understand your request.
Now that you know how to make wishes, I mean issues. It’s time to make sure that the genies, aka the project leaders, grant them. But no worries, I’ve gotten some tips that’ll help you faster than the Sorting Hat from Hogwarts.
Do’s & Don’ts
Do's
Do use a descriptive title in the title section: It helps other contributors and project leaders understand your suggestion.
Do follow the checklist and guidelines provided: Some projects have specific rules in place to make it easier for leaders to see how your suggestion fits into the project. It’s kind of like how a feather won’t levitate unless you say the Leviosa spell correctly (shout out to Harry Potter).
Do post a link to your pull request in the conversation section: Other contributors and the leaders might want to give feedback on your PR to ensure that it follows the issue you raised, so adding that link makes things easier. Think of it as a page number in the Table of Contents of your spell book.
Don'ts
Don't use the same issue template for each suggestion you have: Each issue is unique, and using the same template can make it harder for leaders to understand what you're suggesting.
Don't forget to reference it in your pull request: If you don't reference the issue in your pull request, it might be hard for the leaders to connect the two.
Don't pressure the leaders and other contributors to respond right away: Remember that open source projects are run by volunteers, so it's important to be patient and respectful. Nobody likes a pushy issue wizard.
Conclusion
Congratulations you’re officially an issue wizard! 🎊🎉 Remember, without you and your suggestions, open source projects would be closed. If you want to learn more ways to be an open sourcerer, be sure to follow me on Hashnode and my other socials via LinkFree. Now go forth and make some magic! 😊
Credits
Concept Art Love GIF by Disney
Korean Drama Goodbye GIF by The Swoon
Let's Go GIF by Marvel Studios
Magic Book by Dollar Gill
The End Airplane Movie GIF by Film editor