Though contribution sound big, its process require many tiny step composed up for single PR. I hope my reflection journey of Django contribution via Djangonaut program will inspire anyone who want to contribute to open source.

Introduction

When I surfed website before coding-ere. There was always a question; How was these website created? Such question was clarified during my first web-programming. We have to write HTML/CSS and Javascript. Then we plugged it to server-side application. Well, I accidentally came across open-source framework, Django, because of admin feature my client requested 5 years ago.

Contribution Challenge

As you may know, using open source and contributing to it are totally different. I thought it include: reading contribution.md, select an issue, fixing thing, open pull request, then boom! merged!!!

Well, that's 50% true. But less people talks about hidden parts. So many times there are;

• Feeling nervous to select an issue because good-first-issue are occupied so quick.
• No idea where to navigate, in particular large codebase software.
• What if reviewer wouldn't like my PR at all?

Yeah, those are what happens when I first try to help Open Source project. Especially big project like Django, they are over hundred smart engineers around the world working on this thing. Finding your spot and starting point are surely challenging. That's why Django team has beginner-friendly program fostering new contributor, Djangonaut!

Launch Your Contribution: Djangonaut Space!

It's 8-weeks near-asynchronize program where you'll be in team, mine is Saturn. (yeah, creative space relates name tho). Each team has different project to contribute. All team has Djangonauts (you and teammate) with your Captain, and Navigator. There is team expert, my team is Django Fellow who asynchornizedly help us along the program.

It's not only Django Djangonaut contributed but also community-wide libraries in Django/Python ecosystem. (Check website for more)

My Artifacts from Saturn

Fortunately, my two PRs got merged during program. It's my pleasure to receive very helpful suggestion from Django Core team.

Coalescing JSON-primitive strings

PR: Link
This is very interesting bug. You can perform coalesce to receive not-null first value from given columns fetching. However, column's type are vary. Let imagine you coalesce Column A (string), Column B (JSON).

Technically to serve potential types, we need to wrap them with union type. In this case it's NCLOB, which can hold String and JSON. Basically database would cast type for us resulting in no problem in other database except Oracle. So, we have to handle type casting manually.

Hidden sensitive variables for Django admin panel

PR: Link

Django show sensitive data in stack trace if Debug=True is set. It's development-only and strongly recommended to disable during production. Even though even disable Debug mode, somehow it will throw sensitive information to stack trace, or worse Admin email, for default login/reset password form. This bug damage is only exposed to admin role.

The solution is straight forward, Django already provide sensitive_variables() to hide sensitive information. I have to attach it to authenticate() function for login / password reset.

How is it after two merged PRs?

Well, it's mixed feeling. My works got merged into big project. On the other hand, it clarified mystery under the iceberg.

What I always see is new PRs open, new feature updated, new version to pull. But Those are just surface of iceberg. There are below the water where;

• People get stuck for a week without any progress because of codebase size.
• Over 20 discussions without (yet) tangible direction for issue.
• No paid for all of this << this is very serious problem in open source now.

Well, is it worth? Absolutely Though my contributions are tiny progression, at least it gradually drive project forward. I learn many thing along the way, which I believe it will help me toward my career.

Final Thought

I would like to thank all Saturn team member, Django Core Team, and Djangonaut for this valuable experience. For ones who want to join, new batch is coming soon! Please stay in touch by following Djangonaut Linkin and website.

Also, if you have any question (relating/unrelating to this post), please feel free to reach out.