Welcome to the Everything Open Source community repository! This is your starting point for learning about who we are, how we work, and how you can get involved — whether you're a developer, designer, technical writer, or someone just getting started with open source.
- About Us
- Workgroups
- Programs
- How to Participate
- Governance
- Roadmap
- Recognition
- Translation
- FAQ
- Community Guidelines
- Stay Connected
Everything Open Source is a non-profit organization dedicated to making open-source contributions accessible to everyone — across code, design, documentation, and beyond. We focus especially on growing the open-source community across Africa and beyond.
- 🌍 Website: everythingopensource.my.canva.site
- 💻 GitHub: github.com/EverythingOpenSource
Our community is organized into workgroups, each focused on a specific area of contribution. Whether you love writing code or crafting documentation, there is a place for you.
| Workgroup | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Documentation | Guides, tutorials, and technical writing |
| Design | UI/UX, visual assets, and accessibility |
| Community & Outreach | Events, mentorship, and growing our community |
| Research | Open source trends, tooling, and community insights |
Want to start or lead a workgroup? Start a discussion and let us know at everythingopensource@gmail.com!
Structured one-day events where contributors work alongside project maintainers to make real, meaningful contributions. Open to all skill levels. Learn more →
Twitter/X Spaces, workshops, and meetups to connect, learn, and share. See past spaces →
Resources and initiatives spotlighting the open-source ecosystem across Africa.
There are many ways to get involved with Everything Open Source:
- Explore our repositories — browse our projects and find something that interests you
- Join a workgroup — find your area and start contributing
- Attend a sprint — sign up for our next open source sprint event
- Open an issue — spotted something missing or broken? Let us know
- Start a discussion — have an idea or question? Use the Discussions tab
- Share the community — tell a friend, colleague, or classmate about us
New to open source? Start here → (link to a beginner guide or blog post)
Everything Open Source is community-driven and here is how we operate:
- Organizers set the overall direction, manage programs, and facilitate sprints and events
- Workgroup Leads coordinate contributions within their focus area and serve as the first point of contact for their workgroup
- Contributors are any community members who participate, contribute, or engage across our spaces
We are building our governance model as we grow. If you have ideas or want to help shape how this community is run, open a discussion or send an email to everythingopensource@gmail.com — we want to hear from you.
Here is what we are working toward as a community. This will be updated regularly.
- Launch the community repository
- Finalize workgroup structure
- Host the first Open Source Sprint
- Launch a formal mentorship program
- Publish a beginner's guide to open source contribution
- Grow open-source-events list to 500 stars
- Build a contributor directory for Africa
- Launch translated resources in French, Swahili, and Portuguese
- Partner with universities and bootcamps across Africa
Have something to add to the roadmap? Open an issue or start a discussion.
We believe every contribution deserves to be celebrated, no matter how small. Here is how we recognize the people who make this community what it is:
- Contributor Spotlights — we regularly highlight contributors across our social channels and blog
- Sprint Recognition — all sprint participants are credited in sprint wrap-up posts
- Hall of Contributors — coming soon, a dedicated page recognizing community members and their impact
If you would like to nominate someone for recognition, open an issue with the label recognition.
I am new to open source. Can I still contribute? Absolutely. Everything Open Source was built for people at all experience levels. Start by exploring our repositories, reading open issues, and joining a sprint.
Do I need to know how to code to contribute? No. We welcome contributions across documentation, design, research, community support, and more. Open source is more than just code.
How do I join a workgroup? Browse the workgroups listed above, then open a discussion or comment on a relevant issue to introduce yourself. A workgroup lead will get you started.
Are your events free? Yes. All Everything Open Source events, sprints, and programs are free to attend.
How do I stay updated on new events and opportunities? Follow us on social media, watch this repository, and check the Discussions tab regularly.
I have an idea for a new program or initiative. What should I do? We would love to hear it. Send an email to everythingopensource@gmail.com . Community ideas are how we grow.
We are committed to maintaining a welcoming and respectful space for everyone. Please read our [Code of Conduct](code of conduct.md) before participating.
- Twitter/X
- Blog: Everything Open Source Blogs
- Newsletter: (coming soon)
- Discord: (coming soon)
Everything Open Source is community-driven and volunteer-powered. Every contribution, big or small, moves us forward. Thank you for being here.