GitLab Next

Issue Description

This issue is aimed at participants in the GitLab Writing Day session (August 9) at the Write The Docs 2020 virtual conference (Portland).

Benefits:

• Contribute to the GitLab open source project
• Learn more about git (and GitLab)
• Learn about Vale, the increasingly popular syntax-aware linter

Knowledge of Git is not required. GitLab includes a web-based interface to edit our documentation. For more information, watch thisvideo. To go straight to the demo (< 8 minutes), you can skip to the 8:03 mark.

The video is in three sections:

• Introduction
• Howto
• Process

Help:

During Writing Day, one or more GitLab team members are available for assistance in the assigned Hopin room. You can also ping one of the following GitLab team members in the Write The Docs slack:

• @amyq, @arty-chan, @mikejang, @miketechnically, @Ray Paik.

Key links:

• GitLab documentation
• GitLab git repository
  • With an account, you're welcome to fork and clone the repository.
  • If you don't understand the meanings of "clone" and "fork," don't worry! There are other editing methods.
• GitLab documentation style guide

Process:

If you're participating in our Writing Day session, here's what we'd like you to do:

1. Join us at Table 5 in HopIn any time during Writing Day.
2. Register for a GitLab account, at https://gitlab.com/users/sign_in
   • Use the Register tab
3. Review our list of Good for new contributor issues.
4. Pick an issue from the list. Let us know you'd like to take it on with your GitLab username so that we can assign you. Alternatively, you can browse the docs to find a page of interest that you'd like to edit and move forward with a merge request; no issue needed.
5. To edit the documentation, navigate to the target page, which may be linked from the issue. You can start editing in one of two ways:
   • Scroll down the page, and click "Edit this page." Follow the instructions described in the video linked above.
   • Or use your git skills to fork, clone, and open a branch.
6. When you've made your desired changes, open a merge request and select the "Documentation" template. In the description:
   • mention that your merge request is part of the Write the Docs 2020 Writing Day
   • Related to (this issue): #217 (closed)
   • One its own line: Closes then the link to the issue you chose

Internal planning issue: gitlab#219172 (closed)

Notes for facilitators: @sselhorn @aqualls @mikelewis @rpaik

Initial introduction notes

Facilitator notes moved to #217 (comment 392871884), to improve the UX for participants.