Hey Jayraj, What’s your story about getting into GSoC?

One of the most repeatedly asked question since the contributor results got announced by Google. All right peeps, lets do this one last time ;)

What is GSoC you say? Well,

GSoC

Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a global program focused on bringing more student developers into open source software development. Students work with an open-source organization on a 12+ week programming project during summer.

Personally, I think this is one of the best programs Google runs. It gives talented individuals an amazing incentive to dive into open-source contributions and make a real impact.

What’s even cooler is that most participants continue contributing to open-source long after the program ends because they genuinely fall in love with it. GSoC doesn’t just build skills; it builds a lasting community of passionate developers.

Discovering GSoC

My journey into GSoC began with a spark of inspiration from a senior at IIT Gandhinagar, who had been building the tech community in our institute, inspired me through his extremely cool contributions and ideas. I still remember vividly our discussions over building tech culture, venting about dean, SA office.

One night, in the middle of one of these classic rants, my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about his GSoC journey. What followed was an hour of riveting stories about his contributions and experiences. His tales were so exciting that they lit a fire in me.

That conversation was my nudge to dive into the world of open source and try to contribute something cool and meaningful. And thus, my GSoC adventure began.

Choosing an Organization

Next up was the big decision: choosing which organization to work with for GSoC. This wasn’t just a quick pick; it was all about aligning my interests with the impact I wanted to make. I dove into exploring various organizations and their projects, trying to match them with my current skill set.

To get a real feel for what each organization was about, I rolled up my sleeves and tried out different projects firsthand. I dabbled in cybersecurity, web development, and everything else that piqued my interest. It was all about finding that perfect fit where I could contribute meaningfully and learn a ton.

Contributing to Open-Source

I started contributing to open-source projects right when Hacktoberfest was starting, trying out different projects like OWASP-BLT, Plone. The initial days were challenging, filled with learning curves and difficulties. However, these experiences were invaluable in building my skills and confidence. Here mainly my Google-fu skills came into help to fix few good-first-issues. I kept on solving an issue after another.

After a few months into contributing, I wasn’t intimated by the size of the codebase, it was all a matter of time that I could dedicate to get into the depths of an issue and the relevant documenation/concepts. After that what left was just plain ol’ implementation.

First Experience with SunPy

While exploring different projects, I stumbled upon OpenAstronomy, an umbrella organization focused on astrophysics. I was immediately drawn to the stunning example galleries of SunPy and sunkit-image. SunPy is a community dedicated to solar physics, and their work was nothing short of mesmerizing. At this point, I was all about challenging myself with tough projects that stretched my expertise.

The SunPy community was amazing—full of brilliant yet humble individuals whose insightful and humorous discussions about mind-boggling topics resonated deeply with my inner astronaut. I was fascinated by the significant impact of their work on the world. That’s when I knew I had found the organization I was eager to contribute to.

Proposal and My Chosen Project

I chose the sunkit-image project because it had plenty of issues that needed attention, and at its core, it’s an image processing library—one of my favorite skills. Writing the proposal was a meticulous process that required clarity, precision, and a strong understanding of the project goals. I started by drafting the basic structure and changes needed to make the package more useful and active again. The challenge of keeping the proposal within the 5-page limit made it even more interesting, as I had to include only the most important parts and link all the code in GitHub gists.

I had some great discussions with mentors and the SunPy community, and based on their feedback, I made several improvements to my proposal. I also addressed numerous queries to ensure everything was clear and thorough.

Announcement Day

The day the results were announced was unforgettable. I had just finished my final exams that evening and was out with my friends, unwinding after all the stress. Suddenly, ding, a notification popped up that made my night and turned the last six months into something truly memorable. Yay!

All the hard work, perseverance, and dedication had finally paid off—I had been officially selected for GSoC 2024. It marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my journey.

My journey to GSoC 2024 has been a rollercoaster of emotions and learning experiences. It has taught me the value of persistence, the importance of community, and the joy of contributing to something bigger than myself. I hope my story inspires you to embark on your own journey and make a meaningful impact.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to explore and contribute to the world of open source.