What is Fedora?
Fedora is a free and open source operating system based on the Linux kernel. But its more than just a software it's developed by a global collaboration of contributors. The fedora project is the community behind the code. A global group of collaborators all working together towards this common goal.
My journey into Fedora
My journey started through an Outreachy application that was accepted on the 20th of March 2026. Outreachy rolled out it's initial applicants list and we each had to pick a project that best matched our strengths. With my background in data science Fedora project stood out to me immediately. In particular it was the project asking us to develop a Large language model(LLMs). I love data and building models and I'm always looking to collaborate on impactful research.
So I picked Fedora and the journey began.
The First Days
So far I’ve spent time navigating the mailing lists, joining the mentoring rooms, diving into AI/ML SIG (special interest groups) chats, and interacting with fellow new comers. What I’ve realized is Fedora is something much bigger, it’s a global community built on a very specific set of values.
The biggest of those is communication. Fedora relies on its community to constantly ask questions, speak up and share. Although the platforms infrastructure can seem quite vast and confusing at first with many rooms, platforms and sites to keep track of. Every time I felt lost there was always someone on the other side of a message ready to guide me.
The four Fs of Fedora
The first things we had to learn about Fedora was their culture and in particular the four Fs that guide the project:
- Freedom: The commitment to free software and content.
- Friends: A welcoming, global community of people.
- Features: A focus on creating excellence through technical innovation.
- First: A drive to be at the cutting edge of the open-source world.
New on the platform?
I'm still new here and im learning the ropes so I know how it feels to be confused. If you are a new collaborator or an Outreachy applicant like me, that feeling of being intimidated at first is overwhelming but normal. Imposter syndrome can lead to questions like "do I need to be a Linux expert to start?" The answer is no. The first step of joining the platform and introducing yourself is all you need. Someone will be there to help you figure out the right place to go and the right task to start with.
A fedora journey of a thousand miles begins with this single step.
Are you also starting your open source journey? Leave a comment below and let me know your experience with Fedora!