How to Find Good First Issues: A Beginner's Guide to Open Source Contribution

Contributing to open source projects for the first time can feel intimidating. You scroll through repositories with thousands of stars, see complex codebases, and wonder where you could possibly fit in. The good news? You’re not alone in feeling this way, and there’s a well-established path designed specifically for new contributors like you.

The biggest challenge most beginners face isn’t a lack of skill—it’s finding the right place to start. With millions of repositories on GitHub and countless issues open at any given time, the search for your first contribution can quickly become overwhelming. But here’s what many developers don’t realize: project maintainers actively create entry points for newcomers through specially labeled issues called “good first issues.”

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to find these beginner-friendly opportunities, evaluate which ones match your skills, and successfully complete your first contribution to the open source community. By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap to making your first pull request with confidence.

What is a “Good First Issue”?

A good first issue is exactly what it sounds like: an issue specifically labeled by project maintainers as suitable for developers making their first contributions. These issues are intentionally scoped to be approachable, well-documented, and not require deep knowledge of the entire codebase.

Why Do Maintainers Create Them?

Every project maintainer understands that a healthy project needs a steady stream of new contributors. Creating good first issues serves multiple purposes:

• Onboarding new talent: Maintainers use these issues to bring fresh contributors into their projects
• Growing the community: More contributors mean more perspectives, faster development, and a stronger open source community
• Distributing workload: Even small contributions add up and help maintainers focus on complex architecture decisions

Common Label Variations

When searching for beginner-friendly issues, look for these common labels:

Understanding these labels will significantly improve your ability to find the right issues across different open source projects.

Why Good First Issues Are Perfect for Beginners

If you’re new to open source contributions, you might wonder why you shouldn’t just dive into any interesting issue. Here’s why starting with good first issues is strategically smart:

Lower Complexity and Well-Defined Scope

Good first issues are specifically chosen for their manageable scope. They typically involve:

• Fixing a typo or documentation error
• Adding a simple feature or configuration option
• Fixing a well-isolated bug
• Writing or improving tests
• Updating dependencies

Detailed Instructions Included

Many maintainers go the extra mile for good first issues by providing:

• Step-by-step guidance on what needs to change
• Links to relevant documentation or code files
• Examples of similar changes in the project’s history
• Suggested approaches to solving the problem

Maintainers Expect Questions

When you tackle a good first issue, the project maintainer expects you to ask questions. This is part of the onboarding process. You won’t be judged for not knowing everything about the codebase—that’s the whole point.

Building Confidence

Completing your first contribution successfully creates momentum. You’ll understand the contribution workflow, become familiar with Git operations like forking and creating pull requests, and gain the confidence to tackle larger issues.

Lower Stakes Learning

If you make a mistake on a good first issue, the impact is minimal. It’s a safe environment to learn project conventions, coding standards, and the review process that’s central to all open source contributions.

Where to Find Good First Issues

Now for the practical part: where exactly do you find these opportunities? Here are the four best methods, ranked by effectiveness.

1. GitHub’s Built-in Search

GitHub has powerful search capabilities that let you filter issues across all public repositories. Here’s a search query to get you started:

label:"good first issue" is:open language:javascript

You can customize this query with additional filters:

label:"good first issue" is:open language:python stars:>100 pushed:>2025-01-01

This search finds open good first issues in Python repositories with over 100 stars that have been updated recently.

Pros:

• Access to millions of open source projects
• Highly customizable filters
• Always up-to-date

Cons:

• Results can be overwhelming
• No curation or quality filtering
• Many issues may be stale or already claimed

2. Aggregator Sites

Aggregator sites curate and organize good first issues, saving you time and providing additional context. helpwanted.dev is specifically designed to help new contributors find their first opportunities in the open source community.

What makes helpwanted.dev particularly useful:

• AI-powered summaries: Each issue includes a plain-English explanation of what needs to be done
• Difficulty ratings: Issues are rated on complexity so you can match your skill level
• Category filters: Find issues in your area of interest (frontend, backend, DevOps, etc.)
• Active issue tracking: Only shows issues from actively maintained projects

Other helpful aggregator sites include:

3. Project-Specific Contribution Pages

If there’s a specific project you want to contribute to, go directly to the source:

1. Check the CONTRIBUTING.md file: Most well-maintained open source projects include detailed contribution guidelines
2. Browse the Issues tab: Filter by the good first issue label
3. Join the community: Many projects have Discord servers, Slack workspaces, or forums with dedicated channels for newcomers

Here’s an example of finding issues in a specific repository:

repo:facebook/react label:"good first issue" is:open

4. Open Source Programs

Formal programs provide structured pathways into open source contributions:

• Hacktoberfest (October): Complete pull requests to earn prizes while contributing to open source projects
• Google Summer of Code: Paid mentorship program for student developers
• Outreachy: Internships for underrepresented groups in tech
• MLH Fellowship: Multi-week program focused on open source

These programs often match you with mentors and provide additional support for your first contribution.

How to Evaluate a Good First Issue

Not all good first issues are created equal. Before diving in, evaluate each potential issue using these criteria:

Check the Issue Age

An issue created six months ago without any activity might be stale. Look for:

• Recent comments or updates
• Whether the issue is still relevant to the project’s current version
• Activity in the past 30-60 days

Read All Comments

Before claiming an issue, thoroughly read the discussion:

• Is someone already working on it?
• Has the approach been discussed and agreed upon?
• Are there additional context or requirements mentioned in comments?

Assess Instruction Clarity

A well-written good first issue should tell you:

• What the problem is
• Where in the codebase the change needs to happen
• What success looks like
• Any constraints or requirements

If instructions are vague, it’s okay—you can ask the project maintainer for clarification before starting.

Check Repository Activity

Look at the repository’s recent activity:

• When was the last commit?
• Are pull requests being reviewed and merged?
• Is the maintainer responsive to issues and discussions?

An inactive repository means your contribution might never get reviewed.

Review Contribution Guidelines

Every serious project has contribution guidelines. Find the CONTRIBUTING.md file and read it before making any changes. This document typically covers:

• Code style requirements
• Testing expectations
• Commit message format
• Pull request process

Following contribution guidelines from the start shows respect for the project and increases your chances of getting merged.

Match Your Skill Level

Be honest about your current abilities. If an issue requires knowledge of a framework you’ve never used, either plan extra time to learn, or find a better match. Sites like helpwanted.dev include difficulty ratings specifically to help you make this assessment.

Step-by-Step: From Finding to Completing Your First Contribution

Let’s walk through the complete process of making your first contribution to an open source project.

Step 1: Choose Your Issue

Start by finding an issue that matches both your skills and interests:

• Match your programming language: If you know Python, look for Python projects
• Choose something you care about: You’ll be more motivated to complete the contribution
• Start small: A documentation fix or simple bug fix is perfectly valid for a first contribution

Step 2: Claim the Issue

Once you’ve found an issue, let the maintainer know you’re working on it:

Hi! I'd like to work on this issue. This would be my first contribution to this project.
I have a few clarifying questions:
1. Should the fix also update the existing tests?
2. Is there a preferred approach you'd recommend?

Thanks!

This comment accomplishes several things:

• Claims the issue so others know it’s being worked on
• Sets expectations that you’re a new contributor
• Opens dialogue with the project maintainer

Step 3: Set Up Your Development Environment

Fork and clone the repository:

# Fork the repository on GitHub first, then:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/project-name.git
cd project-name

# Add the original repository as upstream
git remote add upstream https://github.com/original-owner/project-name.git

# Install dependencies (varies by project)
npm install  # or pip install -r requirements.txt, etc.

Follow the README and CONTRIBUTING.md for project-specific setup instructions.

Step 4: Make Your Changes

Create a new branch for your work:

git checkout -b fix/issue-123-description

As you work:

• Follow the project’s code style
• Write tests if the project requires them
• Make small, focused commits
• Keep your changes limited to what the issue requires

Step 5: Submit Your Pull Request

Push your branch and create a pull request:

git push origin fix/issue-123-description

Write a clear PR description:

## Summary
Fixes #123

This PR adds validation for email input fields to prevent invalid submissions.

## Changes Made
- Added regex validation in `src/utils/validation.js`
- Added unit tests for the new validation function
- Updated the form component to display error messages

## Testing
- All existing tests pass
- New tests added for edge cases

## Screenshots
[If applicable, include before/after screenshots]

Then be patient. Maintainers are often volunteers with limited time. Respond promptly to any feedback, and don’t take code review comments personally—they’re designed to help you improve.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others’ mistakes to make your first contribution smoother:

Claiming Multiple Issues at Once

Start with one issue at a time. Claiming several simultaneously signals that you might not complete any of them.

Ignoring Contribution Guidelines

Skipping the contribution guidelines leads to preventable rejections. Always read them first.

Making Changes Without Understanding

Don’t blindly change code to make tests pass. Understand why your changes work.

Ignoring the Code of Conduct

Most open source projects have codes of conduct. Respectful communication is expected.

Giving Up After Review Feedback

Your first pull request will likely receive feedback. This is normal and expected. Requested changes aren’t criticism—they’re part of the collaborative process that makes open source contributions valuable.

Success Stories

Many developers have launched careers from their first contribution to the open source community:

• A developer’s typo fix in React documentation led to deeper involvement, eventually becoming a regular contributor
• A student’s good first issue completion during Hacktoberfest resulted in a maintainer reaching out with an internship opportunity
• A career-changer’s first contribution to a Python library became the portfolio piece that landed them their first developer job

Every project maintainer was once a first-time contributor. Your journey starts with that first merged pull request.

Conclusion

Finding and completing your first contribution to open source projects doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The “good first issue” label exists specifically to create welcoming entry points for new contributors like you.

Here’s your action plan:

1. Browse issues on helpwanted.dev to find curated, beginner-friendly opportunities with AI-powered summaries and difficulty ratings
2. Pick one issue that matches your skills and interests
3. Follow the steps outlined in this guide to claim, complete, and submit your pull request
4. Learn from the feedback and use it to fuel your next contribution

Remember: every member of the open source community—from Linux kernel developers to maintainers of tiny utility libraries—made their first contribution at some point. Today is the perfect day to make yours.

Start browsing good first issues now and take the first step in your open source journey. The community is waiting to welcome you.