My MLH Fellowship Experience

Two months ago, I joined the MLH Fellowship, a program that I was trying to get into for several years with the chance to work on impactful, real-world projects. My assignment? Contribute to React Native, the framework behind some of the most widely used mobile apps on the planet.

Don’t believe me? Have a look at some of the most popular apps built with React Native here -> https://reactnative.dev/showcase

It sounded and felt incredible. But let me tell you — diving into a large-scale open-source project isn’t like reading a tutorial or building a side project. It’s intimidating, and, at first, I felt completely out of my depth.

The React Native codebase seemed endless. Having to set it up and work on my specific issues was a massive pain at first. Every directory, every file, every issue felt like an uncharted territory I wasn’t sure how to navigate. For someone new to such a massive project, the learning curve was steep, and it came with moments of doubt.

But as time went on, something shifted. Bit by bit, I started to understand the ecosystem. I asked questions from my podmates, studied previous contributions, and leaned on the community for support. Slowly, I found my rhythm, and am still in the learning phase.

Fast forward to today: I’ve made meaningful contributions to React Native, and those early feelings of confusion have transformed into somewhat familiar territory. I now have with me the confidence and passion to give back to the developer…