How to go about participating in an open source Java project?

Question

If you would think about participating in the opensource - java, where you would look at? what would you choose?

I've tried to participate to one project which need to sign a contribution agreement, they haven't responded to me and I cannot participate even though I think I knew about one bug and I could improve a component at least I think.

Answer 1

code.google.com, sourceforge.net. Pick a project you like and start solving issues and submitting patches.

Answer 2

I didn't vote to close, but your last line isn't very clear and doesn't seem to be related to the first line/question at all.

To participate in an open source project, you just do it. Download the source code, edit it and send in your patches. I'm pretty sure most projects have submission guidelines.

The second line--open source projects generally don't have a "Company" associated with them. They might, but you wouldn't be involved with the company, you would just submit changes, so working from home isn't a problem--it's actually the way it works.

Answer 3

1. Find a project you want to help with. Obviously it should be an opensource project under a real open source license. As mentioned before, look to code.google.com, sourceforge.net, etc to find one.
2. Get a good feel for the code, you want to match your code to their style as much as possible
3. Write a very small fix/change.
4. Make sure you're working from their very latest development code (ie from SVN or CVS)
5. Create a 'patch' against their code, and submit it to whatever seems to be their most active communication channel. This could be a patch tracker, forums, mailing list, or IRC channel.
6. Don't expect it to get accepted right away, but if you are friendly and listen to their concern/suggestions, and your code isn't absolute crap, you'll be told what they'd like you to change, to get your code accepted.

Answer 4

I would recommend looking for Java projects that need help by checking out the Help Wanted listings at Sourceforge:

http://sourceforge.net/people/

Answer 5

one cannot "demand" commiter access to any open source project, they often have their own methodology about this if everyone is automatically committer, most open source projects would be a total mess.

how it might work for you: start out by getting used to the community. if you have a bug you think should be solved, write a detailed bug report in their tracking system/mailing list. ideally you first submit a compact failing test case that proves something should function. then provide a patch that fixes the test case, which the core committers might apply. hear the feedback and imporove your patches.

if you continue to send in patches and they make sense, you will be grated committer access, too.

Answer 6

The best way to participate in an open source project is to contribute to a project that you are alredy using. In this way you are having to use all of the modifications that you are making and also you have a really clear set of requirements. Davr's answer then comes into play as to how to actually become a committer but I thought your question was about how to choose.

The other way to choose is to chooses a project that is using technologies that you have an interest in or need to use. I am currently doing some open source work with Spring, Hibernate, Struts2 and Spring Security because there is a possibility that our company will need to develop using these technologies for a customer later in the year.