Contributing to open source is more than writing code. It is about creating an ecosystem that’s secure, sustainable, and inclusive. This talk will delve into the essential best practices for contributing to open source projects to ensure that participants can effectively engage with the community, enhance their contributions, and foster a collaborative environment. The main areas include clear documentation, proper licensing, security and compliance, complete contributing guidelines, clear code of conduct, and project maintenance automation. This talk is aimed at developers, project maintainers, and organizations looking to contribute more effectively and responsibly to the open-source world.