Understanding the difference between new and beginner contributors is important for both project maintainers and the contributors themselves. This post identifies some of the unique challenges and needs of these two types of contributors.
Beginner Contributor: Someone who is new to open source and tech. Some of their challenges to contributing may include: a steep learning curve, understanding open source culture and best practices, completing pull requests in a timely manner.
New Contributor: Someone who has never contributed to your repository before, but could be at any technical level. Some of the challenges they may face are unfamiliarity with the project’s codebase, guidelines, and processes.