Contribution 6: Chasing contribution feedback

In the previous contribution blog post, I wrote about the API testing process I went through for MindsDB (Link to previous blog). After identifing an error in one of their API handlers, I made a comment underneath the original issue about the error that I found, voicing out:

1. What is the error
2. Possible cause of error
3. And asking for other developers suggestions on how to proceed

I've waited a couple of days for feedback however did heard anything back. Hence, I decided to get resourceful and post about the error I found in the Slack Channel:

I quickly recieve feedback from the lead developer after I posted the issue on Slack. The lead developer verified that my testing methods were correct and it seems like it's the API handler that was developed incorrectly. The issue ended up being passed on to the co-lead developer to debug.

Date: 16/05/2023

Contribution 6.2: Week of API handler testings

More API Testing Contributions

Upon discovering a problem with one of the API handlers in Slack, the lead developer recommended that I share a summary of all the API handlers experiencing errors in the designated #engineering slack channel.

This week I was able to test around 10 handlers and found 3 that had some sort of bug that hinders it from functioning properly. I summarised them into a Slack post, keeping my finding as straightforward as possible so that other developers and contributors can read them easily.

I received positive feedback on my testing contribution :)

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Reflection

Although this contribution is different from my previous "code" contribution for SimpleBio (web template), this experience has made me feel more like part of the open-source community. This is because I am interacting with other developers, identify the issues and working collaboratively with other contributors to debug and fix issues within the project. Whereas in SimpleBio, it was mostly just utilising the given template to create another version for other users to use. Hence, I feel like my contributions to MindsDB is more of a representative of the open-source collaboration spirit.

During this collaboration, I realised that being resourceful and finding different approaches to problem-solving is crucial for the project's progress. When I first encountered an error in one of the API handlers, I raised the issue by leaving a comment on the related issue. Unfortunately, I didn't receive any response there. As a result, I took the initiative to post the issue on the project's Slack channel. Almost instantly, I received a response and was able to make progress in resolving the issue.

Lastly, by testing the API handlers in this contribution, I had the opportunity to improve my documentation skills, which were taught in Week 10. Since MindsDB didn't have specific guidelines for documenting errors, I took the initiative to format the documentation myself and ensure that the errors were clearly outlined. The lead developer suggested that I create a summary of all the errors I encountered (as shown in the screenshot), and I received positive feedback on the quality of my error documentation summary (also shown in the screenshot).