How to find your happy place in the world of R package development

Why contribute to open-source?

  • Enjoy it?

  • Giving back?

  • Skill development?

  • Exposure?

R package development?

There are other ways to contribute including community building.

This slidedeck focuses on R package development. 😉

Find your happy place

Especially is open-source work happens in your free time.

Right amount of time, right task fit.

Desk with computer, phone, notebook, coffee

Picture by Andrew Neel on Pexels.

Your package(s)

  • Ownership can be great! Your rules, your name.

  • Beware of burn-out

Your package(s)

Sculpture of a man attacked by angry babies

Vigeland installation, Frogner Park, Oslo

Your package(s)

Interactions with users and contributors!

Both rewarding and time-consuming

Make your repo a friendly place

  • Contributing guide (what are your expectations?)

  • Code of Conduct

  • Governance file?

rOpenSci past community call “Set Up Your Package to Foster a Community”

Others’ packages?

  • A way for you to start

  • A way for you to concentrate on your strengths

  • What you actually want to do!

Others’ packages

  • First watch development and interactions, read contributing guide.

  • Start interacting in the repo.

Others’ packages

What packages? Packages…

  • … that you use

  • … corresponding to your skillset or skills you want to learn

  • … that have room for external contributions

  • … where your work is valued!

Others’ packages

Now often your name won’t be on it, maybe only in the changelog.

How to still display your skills? Blogging, talks?

Disclaimer

This was a very brief presentation, and a complex topic.

Further resources

Thank you!

Thanks for listening, thanks R-Ladies Johannesburg for organizing! 🙏

Happy R package development! 📦

https://rladies-jozi-r-pkg-dev.netlify.app/