Cursor Boston/AIC BTW Open Source Workshop

Most people build in isolation—solo projects, weekend hacks, and demos that fade into the void.

Open Source Drop-In flips that script.

This hands-on, low-pressure half-day session (hosted by Cursor Boston & AIC) teaches you how to contribute to real open source projects with Cursor as your AI co-pilot. No prior open source experience required.

Fork a repo, explore a living codebase, make a meaningful change, and walk away with a merged pull request you can proudly add to your GitHub profile—plus Cursor credits for every merged contribution.

Whether you’re a developer, founder, student, or non-technical builder, you’ll learn to think and work like a valued open source contributor. Real skills. Real impact. Real dopamine from seeing your work merged.

Detailed Event Description

The Philosophy

Open source isn’t just a technical skill—it’s a mindset. You step into a living codebase owned by a community, spot something worth improving, and contribute in a way that the community values and merges.

Normally, learning repo navigation, issue triage, clean commits, and PR reviews takes weeks of trial and error. This event compresses that curve into a single focused afternoon.

With Cursor handling the heavy analysis and code lifting, your job becomes thinking, deciding, and directing. Hosted by Cursor Boston and AIC, the session makes open source contribution accessible and rewarding for everyone.

The Two Tracks

Track A — Cursor Boston Repo (Low Stakes, High Support)

Everyone starts here. The official cursorboston.com repo is intentionally beginner-friendly and low-pressure—perfect for your first contribution.

You’ll fork the repo, use Cursor to understand the codebase, identify improvements (big or small), implement them, and submit a PR. Merged PRs earn Cursor credits as an immediate reward. The dopamine hit of your first merged contribution is real and motivating!

Track B — Projects You Actually Care About (Second Half)

Once you’ve got the workflow down, level up. Attendees move to a curated list of 10–20 impactful open source projects (pre-selected by AIC and Roger, or chosen by you).

Think: job market tools, education platforms, civic tech, developer infrastructure, or any repo that aligns with real-world problems. Apply the exact same process you just practiced. This is where contributions become genuinely meaningful—and LinkedIn/Github-profile worthy.

The Workflow: Repeatable for Any Repo

We’ll guide you step-by-step through a structured, reusable process that works for any open source project:

1.  High-level overview of repo structures and how code flows (using the Cursor Boston site as a live example)

2.  Quick Cursor onboarding—download, setup, and a tour of all its powerful features

3.  Fork the repo and open it in Cursor

4.  Run a provided starter prompt to analyze the codebase and surface contribution opportunities

5.  Pick an area that excites you (features, UI, documentation, accessibility, copy, design feedback, etc.)

6.  Use Cursor to plan and implement your changes

7.  Submit a clear, well-written PR explaining what you did and why

8.  Get reviewed, iterate if needed, and celebrate the merge (with credits!)

Non-technical attendees follow the same flow—Cursor simply does more of the heavy code interpretation and suggestion work. Facilitators will circulate the room with ready-to-use starter prompts. Valid contributions include documentation fixes, copy improvements, design suggestions (logged as issues), and more. No one gets left behind, and no one feels tested.

Why This Event Works (Especially for Non-Technical Folks)

This isn’t about turning you into a full-stack developer in one afternoon. It’s about demystifying open source and showing how AI makes real contribution accessible right now.

We’ll set clear expectations upfront: here’s exactly what you’ll do, why it matters even if you’re not technical, and what you’ll walk away with (skills + a tangible merged PR).

With guided prompts, circulating facilitators, and a supportive no-pressure environment, the barriers drop. The goal is real learning, real community contribution, and that satisfying feeling of shipping something valued by others.

What You’ll Walk Away With

•  A merged pull request on your GitHub (proof of real contribution)

•  Practical skills in using Cursor for open source workflows

•  Understanding of how to find, evaluate, and contribute to any open source project

•  Cursor credits for merged PRs

•  New connections in the Boston AI + Cursor community

•  The confidence and mindset of a contributor—not just a solo builder

This event is collaborative, tangible, and scalable. Come for the skills and credits. Leave with something meaningful you can actually showcase.

Ready to make your first open source impact? Register now