This discussion follows Stefanie Molin's evolution from programming novice to core open-source developer. Stefanie shares her transition from R to Python and her approach to creating accessible learning materials for workshops and presentations.

She offers practical insights into open-source development, emphasising how quality documentation drives tool adoption and user engagement. The conversation addresses challenges like balancing contribution time with other responsibilities and staying current with emerging libraries.

Stefanie provides valuable advice for aspiring contributors, highlighting the importance of communication skills and understanding user needs. Her reflections on her engineering journey and upcoming projects offer a realistic look at the collaborative nature of open-source development and the satisfaction that comes from community contribution.

Reading materials:

• 5 Ways to Get Started in Open Source (article): https://stefaniemolin.com/articles/open-source/5-ways-to-get-started-in-open-source/
• How to Set Up Pre-Commit Hooks (article): https://stefaniemolin.com/articles/devx/pre-commit/setup-guide/
• The Real Python Podcast Episode 190: Great Starting Points for Contributing to Open Source: https://realpython.com/podcasts/rpp/190/
• Numpydoc pre-commit hook: https://numpydoc.readthedocs.io/en/latest/validation.html#docstring-validation-using-pre-commit-hook
• Data Morph docs: https://stefaniemolin.com/data-morph/stable/index.html
• Docstringify repo: https://github.com/stefmolin/docstringify
• Her website: https://stefaniemolin.com/