<p>The most common mistakes I have seen first time contributors make (and this includes me) is:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Not opening the PR from a <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#contributor-workflow" rel="nofollow noreferrer">topic branch</a> of the forked Bitcoin Core repo and instead opening it from the master branch of the forked Bitcoin Core repo</p>
</li>
<li><p>Not adding the correct label at the start of the <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#creating-the-pull-request" rel="nofollow noreferrer">title</a> of the PR</p>
<p>e.g. <code>doc: Address typo in file X</code></p>
</li>
<li><p>Not <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#squashing-commits" rel="nofollow noreferrer">squashing commits</a> when there is no need for multiple commits</p>
</li>
<li><p>Opening a PR for individual typos without running the linter and finding additional typos</p>
<p>e.g. <code>./test/lint/lint-spelling.sh</code></p>
</li>
<li><p>Opening a PR for individual typos but not updating <code>test/lint/lint-spelling.ignore-words.txt</code> to ignore false positives identified from running the linter.</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T19:31:41.860Z
This seems more appropriate in Bitcoin Core's developer documentation. I very much doubt Bitcoin SE is where people come looking for open-source contribution guidelines.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T19:40:40.403Z
It is in the docs of the Core repo. But presumably because the docs are so long (can't be helped) new contributors don't follow the basics. Having this link to point to will save me typing the same thing over and over again :)
Michael Folkson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T19:41:08.610Z
How about linking to the documentation instead?
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T19:43:40.880Z
I'm sorry I don't know what you mean. I do link to the Core docs in this answer. If A links to B what is A and B in this context?
Michael Folkson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T19:46:21.847Z
I just don't think Bitcoin SE is the best place to maintain this information.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T18:26:20.560Z
2020-12-27T18:26:20.560Z
Michael Folkson
<p>What mistakes do first time contributors to Bitcoin Core often make with their first pull request?</p>

<bitcoin-core-development><bitcoincore-review>
What mistakes do first time contributors to Bitcoin Core often make?
Michael Folkson
# What mistakes do first time contributors to Bitcoin Core often make?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-27)

What mistakes do first time contributors to Bitcoin Core often make with their first pull request?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core-development, bitcoincore-review


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2020-12-27. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

The most common mistakes I have seen first time contributors make (and this includes me) is:

* Not opening the PR from a [topic branch](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#contributor-workflow) of the forked Bitcoin Core repo and instead opening it from the master branch of the forked Bitcoin Core repo
* Not adding the correct label at the start of the [title](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#creating-the-pull-request) of the PR

  e.g. `doc: Address typo in file X`
* Not [squashing commits](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#squashing-commits) when there is no need for multiple commits
* Opening a PR for individual typos without running the linter and finding additional typos

  e.g. `./test/lint/lint-spelling.sh`
* Opening a PR for individual typos but not updating `test/lint/lint-spelling.ignore-words.txt` to ignore false positives identified from running the linter.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This seems more appropriate in Bitcoin Core's developer documentation. I very much doubt Bitcoin SE is where people come looking for open-source contribution guidelines.  
> **username_0**: It is in the docs of the Core repo. But presumably because the docs are so long (can't be helped) new contributors don't follow the basics. Having this link to point to will save me typing the same thing over and over again :)  
> **username_1**: How about linking to the documentation instead?  
> **username_0**: I'm sorry I don't know what you mean. I do link to the Core docs in this answer. If A links to B what is A and B in this context?  
> **username_1**: I just don't think Bitcoin SE is the best place to maintain this information.  

---

