Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a global program by Google that gives aspiring developers the chance to collaborate with open-source organisations on real-world software projects. It offers a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience, receive mentorship from industry experts, and develop skills beyond the classroom. Though highly competitive, the program is widely regarded as a key milestone in a developer's journey.
GSoC connects contributors-especially students and beginners-with experienced mentors. Participants work remotely on coding projects while learning best practices and building professional networks.
Among those selected this year is Krishna Dave, a BTech Computer Science student at Newton School of Technology. His selection followed months of consistent contributions, learning, and meaningful community engagement within the open-source ecosystem.
Reflecting on his experience, he shared: "You don't need perfect code or perfect timing-what matters is consistency, curiosity, and presence. GSoC rewards commitment, not perfection."
He also shared a step-by-step approach that worked for him. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Start Early
Instead of waiting for the official GSoC timeline, he began contributing about four months in advance. This early start gave him time to understand open-source workflows and explore different communities without pressure.
Step 2: Choose the Right Organisation
He studied previous GSoC archives and community forums to find an organisation that matched his interests and had a welcoming codebase. Picking a well-documented and actively maintained project kept him engaged.
Step 3: Begin Small
He started with a small contribution-fixing a minor styling issue. This simple task helped him learn about teamwork and version control, and also got him noticed in the community.
Step 4: Build Communication
He stayed active in community channels, asked questions, and regularly updated mentors. This consistent communication helped build trust with the maintainers.
Step 5: Mention GSoC Later
Only after weeks of contribution did he bring up GSoC. By then, he was already seen as a serious contributor, making the transition feel natural and well-earned.
The 2025 GSoC timeline began with mentoring organisations applying between January 27 and February 11. After evaluation, the selected organisations were announced on February 27. Between then and March 24, interested contributors or developers interacted with mentors and discussed project ideas. Applications were submitted from March 24 to April 8, with final selections revealed on May 8 after proposal reviews.
