What steps do you take when joining an existing project without starting it from scratch?

When joining an existing project, it is important to:

1. Familiarize yourself with the project documentation (README, architecture, guidelines).
2. Set up the local environment and ensure that the project builds and runs.
3. Study the code structure, main modules, and dependencies.
4. Understand the development and deployment process, and the tools used (CI/CD, version control systems).
5. Meet the team and understand the role distribution.
6. Start with small tasks or bug fixes to better understand the codebase.

This approach helps to quickly adapt and work effectively within the team.