[serious]

Read the documentation fully.
Take notes.
Start reading the source and build up your knowledge about the project in this way.

Don't bother, it's work that consumes your soul and it's not worth doing it for free.

>>60375299
It's impossible to understand every part of the code. Focus on the 10% you want to contribute to and read the docs.

People who work at large companies are not expected to understand the 10m+ loc code base

tools like doxygen can help. You can use doxywizard to generate call graphs, called-by graphs, class diagrams, include dependency graphs, etc.

If the project is big, it probably has an IRC channel. Go ask questions there. Try implementing a feature you want to implement, and ask questions when you run into a wall.

>>60375299
open source is shit
contribute to free software instead

>>60375299
generate some callgraphs and sequence diagramms and uml is verry helpful for such things.

>>60375299
What I don't understand is what project(s) you should choose to contribute to. For me, every single program I use just werks. So why contribute?

>>60375299
>I don't know how to properly add new features.

you shouldn't be worried, they don't know "how to properly add new features" either

>>60375299
Find main and start reading

>>60377165
I have the same issue as OP and this is the only answer.

Send the devs emails, nobody does that, you'd be surprise how often that just works for feature reqs

>>60377194
This

you p much just have to dive in and study this components you want tn modify, not the entire thing at once

>>60377510
Bug = feature

>>60375497
>Read the documentation fully.

What if it doesn't exist?

>>60378023
Find something else

>>60375299
why would you work for free?

>>60378362
This so goddamn much.

"Contribute to OSS to build your resume" -
You'll see this pisspoor advice given out online for prospective tech workers. This is a lie. The only software projects that you need to contribute to should be your own, which should be publicly searchable. Go through a couple tutorials online and just push that code example after you alter it enough to not plagiarize (not that anyone gives a fuck, mostly just real learning).

Fork a large codebase and fuck it up. Push that to GayHub. No one will check what you did. You'll look like someone who might be qualified for at least an interview.

>>60378489
>>60378362
You guys must hate your selves. I love contributing to the community, and having your name attached to any project is god for your resume.

>>60378608
Gay communism. The bluehairs, trannies, numales, and other mentally unstable incompetents run the show through publicity shaming. Real developers are in demand at some outrageously comfy salaries. Working for free is a sucker's game.

>>60378772
you sound like someone who is fun and full of life

>>60378362
This. Personal projects are much better. Contributing to an open source codebase would only benefit the people who own it.