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By, Courteney Ervin Whether it’s through bootcamps or sheer willpower, hundreds of freshly-minted developers have used Rails to begin their careers. But all of the well-formed Twitter clones in the world are not a replacement for experience working on an active project. Enter open source. Open source contributions hone crucial web development skills, like version control; comprehension of an full code base; and even an understanding of agile processes--not to mention being a clear indicator of your hirability. Join us to learn how to push through any intimidation and strengthen your portfolio with open source! Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/G71V/
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In Courteney Ervin's presentation at RailsConf 2015 titled "Level Up with OSS: Develop Your Rails Dev Skills Through Open Source Contributions," she emphasizes the importance of open source contributions for web developers, particularly those new to the field. Ervin shares her own journey from a non-technical administrator to a skilled platform engineer with experience in open source projects. The talk highlights that open source contributions not only enhance technical skills but also improve employability and understanding of collaborative code bases. Key points discussed in the video include: - **Setting Goals for Contributions**: Ervin suggests defining personal and professional goals prior to engaging in open source. This might include learning new technologies or improving skills in version control and collaboration. - **Diverse Ways to Contribute**: Contributions to open source can extend beyond coding. Ervin mentions areas such as bug reporting, improving documentation, translating content, adding tests, and engaging in code reviews. - **Finding Projects**: Tools like GitHub, Open Hatch, and Code Triage can help new contributors find projects that align with their interests and skills, and there are initiatives such as 24 Pull Requests to encourage participation. - **Process of Contributing**: The process involves forking projects, making local changes, and submitting pull requests, with an emphasis on clear communication and community engagement. Ervin encourages attendees to familiarize themselves with a project’s community and workflow to enhance their contributions. - **Growth and Networking**: By contributing, developers can demonstrate their problem-solving capabilities to potential employers, and build valuable relationships within the tech community. In conclusion, Courteney Ervin motivates the audience to embrace the challenges of open source coding, assuring them of the value of their contributions and the personal growth that can come from participating in the open-source community. She reinforces the message that every contribution, no matter how small, can be important and impactful in a developer's journey toward becoming a skilled professional.
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