2025-12-09 –, General Track
Contributing to open source isn’t just about code. Documentation, testing, community support, and issue triaging are critical but often overlooked. In this talk, I’ll share how Python developers — from junior to senior can make a meaningful, visible impact in open source. Whether you're new to open source or looking to expand your profile, this session will help you discover practical, beginner-friendly ways to contribute and stay engaged in the long term.
Open-source projects thrive on contributions, but those contributions don’t always come in the form of pull requests. In the Python community, roles such as documentation writing, bug reproduction, testing, onboarding, user feedback, and project coordination are vital to long-term sustainability.
This talk aims to dispel the myth that only seasoned developers or prolific coders can contribute meaningfully to open-source projects. Through real-world examples and lessons from my own experience working with Python-based open-source communities, I’ll walk the audience through practical paths for getting involved — even if you're just starting or come from a non-traditional background like product, design, or DevRel.
The session will outline the different ways contributions are recognized in the Python ecosystem, including the impact of GitHub discussions, contributing guides, documentation standards like reStructuredText or Markdown, and the importance of clear communication with maintainers.
Expected audience: Python developers, career switchers, junior engineers, community managers, and anyone curious about participating in open source.
Takeaway: You'll leave with an actionable roadmap to contribute beyond code and understand how to track and present your work to peers, employers, and the broader Python community.
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Iyanu Falaye is a software engineer and product strategist with a passion for open-source communities and developer enablement. With experience spanning engineering operations, product development, and cross-functional collaboration, he actively supports inclusive contribution models beyond just code. Iyanu has spoken at community tech events and facilitated team knowledge-sharing sessions, always focused on helping others grow their impact in the tech ecosystem.