Do You Want to Be an Open Source Developer?

As a developer who spent 15 years writing software on closed-source platforms, I joined the InfluxDB team in December 2014 and was immediately thrown into contributing to their codebase. I learned that code quality is crucial, including clear variable names, useful comments, and well-organized code. I also experienced my first code review, which taught me to be open to feedback and grateful for constructive criticism. What surprised me was how comfortable I became with the idea that everyone could see my code, but this discomfort turned out to be a great learning experience when even a "rockstar" like Dave Cheney reviewed one of my pull requests. To work full-time on an open-source project, you don't need to be an expert; what's important is being willing to learn and grow from the community. I encourage everyone to contribute, whether it's with code or issues, as every contribution makes each open-source project better for everyone.