This report examines the role of open-source software in facilitating knowledge transfer within
communities of developers and the barriers that newcomers to open-source projects may face,
with a focus on documentation issues and how they relate to the motivation of newcomers.
After setting the scene with the introduction of open-source and related concepts, first a review
of relevant literature is presented, highlighting the importance of open-source software and the
challenges that newcomers can encounter when participating in open-source projects.
The research method for the study, which will be conducted next semester is described as a
case study with qualitative data analysis, using thematic analysis to identify key themes and
patterns in the data. The findings of this study will answer our research question deepening
our understanding of experiences and motivation of newcomers in open-source projects and the
ways in which they can be supported in overcoming challenges they face, thereby giving more
insight into the dynamics of knowledge transfer in open-source communities.