Jody, a technical writer at Redocly in Auckland, New Zealand, has launched a series aimed at helping newcomers to open source, command lines, GitHub, and docs-as-code become familiar with Redocly's products. As someone who initially struggled with these concepts, Jody shares their learning journey to assist others in navigating and utilizing Redocly's open-source tools effectively. The series is designed for tech writers who may feel intimidated by unfamiliar terms or tasked with automating their company's API documentation without knowing where to start. It introduces core concepts necessary for maximizing the benefits of Redocly's free tools, such as the Redocly CLI and Redoc, which help organize, validate, and publish API documentation. Jody emphasizes the importance of understanding open-source software, defined as software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance, and encourages readers to engage with the open-source community. The series begins with an exploration of the concept of open source and its significance, setting the stage for deeper dives into Redocly's specific tools in future installments.