# Everything You Need to Know About Hacktoberfest 2025

# **Introduction to Hacktoberfest**

Hacktoberfest is an annual month-long celebration of open-source that runs throughout October (Oct 1 - Oct 31).

## Why should you participate?

Participating helps you learn new skills, collaborate with others, improve your coding abilities, and give back to the developer community.

%[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD0SI9HaWPc] 

## Who organizes Hacktoberfest?

Hacktoberfest is organized by DigitalOcean in partnership with GitHub and other companies in the tech community. It has been running annually since 2014.

## Official Sponsors and Partners for Hacktoberfest 2025

| Organization | Role | Official Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DigitalOcean | Main Organizer | digitalocean.com |
| Major League Hacking (MLH) | Sponsor | mlh.io |
| Auth0 | Sponsor | auth0.com |
| AMD | Sponsor | amd.com |
| GitHub | Partner | github.com |
| GitLab | Partner | gitlab.com |
| CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) | Partner | cncf.io |
| Open Source Initiative (OSI) | Partner | opensource.org |
| DEV Community | Partner | dev.to |
| Holopin | Badge Partner | holopin.io |

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<div data-node-type="callout-text">Hacktoberfest <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://hacktoberfest.com" style="pointer-events: none">Website</a></div>
</div>

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<div data-node-type="callout-text">Join Hacktoberfest community <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://discord.com/invite/hacktoberfest" style="pointer-events: none">Discord</a></div>
</div>

## How Hacktoberfest Works

### Rules and guidelines for 2025:

To participate in Hacktoberfest 2025, you must register on the official website at [hacktoberfest.com](https://hacktoberfest.com/).

**Key Requirements:**

* Make **6 valid pull/merge requests** to public repositories that have the **"hacktoberfest" topic** added
    
* Contributions must be to repositories that have opted-in by adding the "hacktoberfest" topic
    
* Only quality contributions count, and spammy PRs will be disqualified
    
* Pull requests can be made to any participating repository on GitHub or GitLab
    

### Key dates and timeline:

* **Registration opens:** Late September 2025
    
* **Event start:** October 1, 2025
    
* **Event end:** October 31, 2025
    
* **Final review and PR count:** PRs are analyzed continuously throughout October
    

### What counts as a valid contribution?

Valid contributions include:

**Code Contributions:**

* Bug fixes
    
* New features
    
* Performance improvements
    
* Code refactoring
    

**Non-Code Contributions:**

* Documentation updates
    
* Design work
    
* Translations
    
* Testing
    
* Writing tutorials
    
* Creating educational content
    

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<div data-node-type="callout-text"><strong>Contributions should follow the repository's contribution guidelines and shouldn't be spammy or repetitive. The repository must have the "hacktoberfest" topic to be eligible.</strong></div>
</div>

## **Setting Up for Hacktoberfest (Prerequisites)**

1. You should have a GitHub/GitLab account to participate in hacktoberfest.
    
2. Should be familiar with **Git and GitHub**  
    Git is a version control tool that tracks changes in your code. GitHub is a platform that hosts Git repositories and allows collaboration.
    
3. Essential tools for contributing
    
    * **Git:** Set up Git on your local machine.
        
    * **Code editors**: **VSCode**(recommended) or any other text editor.
        

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<div data-node-type="callout-text">Learn&nbsp;<a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://blog.surajdev.tech/getting-to-know-git-and-github-your-codes-best-friends" style="pointer-events: none">Git &amp; GitHub</a> easy way</div>
</div>

## **Understanding Open-Source**

**What is open source?**

In general, it's free to use, access, and modify depending on the licenses. It's an inclusive community and you get to collaborate with people around the world.

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<div data-node-type="callout-text">Read more about <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://blog.surajdev.tech/what-is-open-source-beginners-guide-how-to-get-started" style="pointer-events: none"><strong>Open-Source</strong></a></div>
</div>

### Ways to find projects for Hacktoberfest 2025

1. **Good First Issue label:**  
    `good first issue` is the best way to start your **Open-Source** journey. You can find all of these on GitHub by doing a label search. Here is how:
    
    Link:[https://github.com/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22](https://github.com/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22)
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675191070/c23a4f75-e678-4ad4-aa3d-359a75f4fe0e.png align="center")
    
2. **GitHub Topics:**  
    It's a very cool feature on GitHub. With the help of this, you can find a particular project with a topic. The topic can be languages, events, tech, etc.
    
    Link: [https://github.com/topics/javascript](https://github.com/topics/javascript)
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675220904/95650b63-5860-4481-ac99-5f639f6f3e6d.png align="center")
    
3. **GitHub's advanced search:**
    
    GitHub advanced search provides tons of filters to find repository and issues according to our preferences. You can filter by `language`, `extension`, `issue labels`, `number of stars/forks`, etc.
    
    Link: [https://github.com/search/advanced](https://github.com/search/advanced)
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675236488/1fe636ad-ce80-441e-82db-6296010f69b4.png align="center")
    

## Resource to find project to contribute

1. **Awesome-Hacktoberfest**
    
    %[https://github.com/mattjegan/awesome-hacktoberfest] 
    
2. How to contribute to open-source repo of freecodecamp
    
    %[https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/how-to-contribute-to-open-source] 
    

## **Step-by-Step Contribution Guide**

1. **Forking a repository:**
    
    Go to the repository you want to contribute to on GitHub, click the "Fork" button in the top-right corner. This creates a copy of the project under your GitHub account.
    
    Link: [https://github.com/Suraj-kumar00/Getting-started-with-Git-Github](https://github.com/Suraj-kumar00/Getting-started-with-Git-Github)
    

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675396921/9cdf21de-827c-4ee2-af19-221776ff087d.png align="center")

2. **Cloning a repository to your local machine**
    
    After forking, clone the repository by using the command:
    
    ```bash
    git clone <URL of your forked repository>
    ```
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675451362/cd15a38e-e09a-4c63-8330-19b960a7d55c.png align="center")
    
3. **Making your first change (committing and pushin**[**g)**](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git)
    
    1. Atiquette of writing a good commit message(good practices):  
        Here are common commit message types in short:
        
        * `feat`: Adds a new feature.
            
            * Example: `feat: add user login`
                
        * `fix`: Fixes a bug.
            
            * Example: `fix: resolve login error`
                
        * `docs`: Documentation changes.
            
            * Example: `docs: update README`
                
        * `style`: Code style changes (e.g., formatting).
            
            * Example: `style: format code to match guidelines`
                
        * `refactor`: Code refactoring (no new feature or bug fix).
            
            * Example: `refactor: simplify login logic`
                
        * `test`: Adds or updates tests.
            
            * Example: `test: add unit tests for auth`
                
        * `chore`: Routine tasks (e.g., updating build scripts).
            
            * Example: `chore: update dependencies`
                
        * `perf`: Performance improvements.
            
            * Example: `perf: improve API response time`
                
    2. **Key Guidelines for Writing a Good Commit Message:**
        
        1. **Use a Clear Structure:**
            
            * Subject line (max 50 chars).
                
            * Body (optional, explain why).
                
            * Footer (references issues, if any).
                
        2. **Present Tense:**
            
            * Write as if the change is happening now (e.g., "Fix bug" instead of "Fixed bug").
                
        3. **Be Brief but Specific:**
            
            * Summarize the change concisely (e.g., "Add user authentication" rather than "Update stuff").
                
        4. **Explain *Why*, Not Just *What*:**
            
            * Give the reasoning behind the change, not just the action.
                
        5. **Bullet Points for Multiple Changes:**
            
            * If the commit involves several tasks, list them clearly.
                
        6. **Reference Issues/PRs:**
            
            * Mention related issues or pull requests for clarity (e.g., "Closes #123").
                
        7. **Active Voice:**
            
            * Write directly and clearly (e.g., "Add feature" vs. "Feature added").
                
    3. **Example**:
        
        ```bash
        Fix user logout bug
        
        This fixes a bug where users were not fully logged out.
        
        Closes #456
        ```
        
4. **Opening your first pull request:**
    
    Push the changes to your forked repository using:
    
    ```bash
    git push origin main
    ```
    
5. **How to write a good pull request description**
    
    Be clear about what changes you made and why. Link to any related issues. Use a concise and descriptive title for your PR.
    

## **Common Mistakes to Avoid**

1. **Understanding issues and PR guidelines**
    
    Always read the project’s contributing guidelines before submitting PRs. Follow the maintainers' instructions on formatting and coding style.
    
2. **Avoiding low-quality or spammy contributions**
    
    Don’t submit trivial changes just for the sake of completing Hacktoberfest. Only meaningful contributions will count.
    
3. **Properly communicating with maintainers**
    
    When opening an issue or PR, be polite and respectful. Ask for feedback or clarification when necessary.
    

## **Navigating Hacktoberfest Challenges**

1. **Solving merge conflicts**
    
    A merge conflict happens when two people make changes to the same line of code. To resolve it, edit the conflicting file, remove the conflict markers, and commit the changes.
    
2. **Dealing with rejected pull requests**
    
    If your PR is rejected, don’t get discouraged. Review the feedback, make improvements, and resubmit. It’s part of the learning process.
    
3. **How to ask for help (community forums, GitHub discussions, ask to maintainers etc.)**
    
    If you’re stuck, don’t hesitate to ask for help on community forums or GitHub discussions. Be specific about what you need help with.
    

## **Completing Hacktoberfest**

1. **Tracking your progress:**
    
    Once you register for Hacktoberfest, your contributions are automatically tracked on the official website. Make sure your pull requests are accepted before the deadline.
    
2. **Submitting the required pull requests:**
    
    Complete 6 valid pull requests to qualify for the rewards. Contributions across multiple repositories count.
    
3. **What happens after you complete Hacktoberfest? (swag, certificates, etc.):**
    
    Once you successfully complete Hacktoberfest, you will be eligible to claim swag (like a digital badges) or donate a tree. You’ll also receive a digital certificate of completion.
    

## **Post-Hacktoberfest: Continuing Your Open Source Journey**

1. **How to stay involved in open source projects**
    
    Keep contributing to projects that interest you. Hacktoberfest is just the beginning of your open source journey.
    
2. **Finding new projects to contribute to**
    
    Explore GitHub’s `Explore` tab or join open source communities to find new projects. Most open source projects welcome year-round contributions.
    
    Link: [https://github.com/explore](https://github.com/explore)
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675273594/22ddea7a-c0cf-442c-8359-7a71c24accc4.png align="center")
    
3. **Building your portfolio through contributions**
    
    Your GitHub profile is like a resume. Keep working on meaningful projects and build a strong portfolio that showcases your skills.
    

## Join our community:

**DevsDeialogue**

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1759675292586/636379b0-d126-4c88-80d6-76c82bb8d6e3.png align="center")

1. **Github**: [https://github.com/DevsDialogue](https://github.com/DevsDialogue)
    
2. **Discord**: [https://discord.gg/Q4t66h38](https://discord.gg/8g8Mwh7S)
    

## **Conclusion**

> Whether you're an experienced developer or just starting out, Hacktoberfest 2025 is a great way to get involved in open source. You'll learn, grow, and make meaningful contributions to the developer community.
> 
> Open source is more than just Hacktoberfest. It's a year-round opportunity, and you can contribute to any open source project at any time based on your interest.
> 
> **Happy Hacking! 🎃**
> 
> *Thanks for reading and happy contributing to Hacktoberfest 2025!*