Hello,
I have been thinking about making the jump towards Open Source, not just using OSS but also contributing to it.
First, some OSS projects/apps I know of are Peertube, Lemmy (right now using Voyager app), Mastodon, Matrix (used to use the Element app, gave up because I realized it was too hard for those around me who got used to Whatsapp), OpenStreetMap (through OrganicMaps), Jellyfin, and Actual Budget, Godot Engine, Luanti, GrapheneOS… I might know more, but those are the ones I remember right now.
Second, I have some basic experience with programming (mainly Java [haven’t learnt GUI yet tho], SQL, and C# for Unity videogames), but no experience entering an already created codebase yet, let alone making changes and sending them (and I admit I might need to get some practice with Git), so it is pretty intimidating. Do you have any advice about it?
Third, I’d like to hear about projects you find interesting or useful. Not neccesarily to contribute or even use them myself, but I’m interested in which other projects there are out there.
Edit: Thank you for the responses, what I got was basically find OSS to replace not-OSS I currently use, and contribute either fixing issues myself, helping with other stuff (making issues, writting or translating documentation, helping newer users), or giving feedback on the project.
If code is where you’d like to contribute, a lot of large projects label some non-critical and low-complexity fixes for known issues as “beginner contributions”. They should be relatively easy contributions, for folks with some background in code.
Of course, if you have spare cash flow, donate a fiver to your favorite open source project. It goes a long way.
If simply using it is the goal, check out f-droid for android, an alternative app store for open source apps, and look into open source replacements for your usual suite of apps. It feels good to use, and to know you’re keeping your own data yours.
Okay, wil lcheck for begginer contributions- I do use some apps from f-droid already, might donate once I do have spare cash flow, thanks for the advice :3