Are you a guy who used to ask the above question every time? Then you are not alone. And luckily you are at the right place. If you are good at coding and ready to work hard but struggling to move forward, don’t worry, here is the complete guide to Google Summer of Code(GSoC) for students.

“And believe me you won’t ask the above question again!”

Definitive Guide to Google Summer of Code

As you might know Google Summer of Code is a program announced by Google for student developers which offer them stipends to write code for various open source software projects. Definitive Guide to Google Summer of Code is unique premium guide for students who are willing to participate on (GSoC) Google Summer of Code.

Why Definitive Guide?

• 1. Easy to understand for students with zero open source background
You may be quite comfortable with programming with C, C++, Java, PHP and other programming languages. But if you are new to open source software development and having no idea about it, you may feel distorted.
In fact, Official GSoC students guide assume that their readers have basic knowledge of open source software development.
This is where Definitive Guide to Google Summer of Code (DGSoC) comes.
DGSoC explains basic terminologies used in open source software development process so that this guide will be equally helpful for both experienced developers and beginners as well.
• 2. Flow Chart to avoid committing mistakes
For most of the beginners GSoC process seems somewhat confusing. They tend to make false moves from choosing organization to submitting the final code. This may not only adversely affect your GSoC dreams but also ruins your one valuable summer from your life as a student by doing nothing or flipping burgers. So the whole Definitive Guide to Google Summer of Code is written based on flowchart. This flowchart helps students to make right decision at right time and this flowchart based process is greatly helpful for students to avoid committing mistakes.
• 3. List of GSoC alternative programs
Google is unable to fund for every high quality students proposal and there is a limit for accepting students for GSoC. Due to this reason, many good quality proposals get rejected. If you are not one among the lucky folks who got opportunity to participate in Summer of Code know that there are many other similar programs running in GSoC style but less competitive. This ebook also show you a list of organizations running such GSoC alternative program.

What exactly Inside the ebook?

This ebook consists of 4 modules. They are

Open source software development

• What is open source
• Basic tools used in open source development
• OSS tools- Developer Documentation
• OSS tools- Communication Channels
• OSS tools- Software
• OSS tools- Developer Guidelines
• Participating open source project as a student

Summer of Code in action

• Introduction to Google Summer of Code
• Benefits of being student
• Must read GSoC resources
• How GSoC works
• How do students get paid
• GSoC vs. GCI
• GSoC students skill requirement
• GSoC roadmap
• Choosing organization
• Choosing Project
• Proposal writing etiquettes
• 31 Ways How not to Apply for GSoC

Community interaction

• Getting Started to Community Interaction
• Guidelines to interact on IRC
• Guidelines to interact on mailing lists
• IRC Channel Explained
• Using mentors effectively- Guidance student can expect from mentors
• Using mentors effectively- What mentors can't do

After Summer of Code

• Proposal Not Accepted? Check Why?
• What after successful GSoC
• List of organization that run GSoC alternative program
• List of Organization Accept Projects outside the Framework of GSoC

Who is behind the book

Hi I am Shahzad Saeed, a graduate student and the same guy behind the student project tips blog TechAndProject.com It has been 3 years since I started my blog and helping people who are willing to do various projects.

Successful GSoC is not just getting selected

Some people believe that successful GSoC means just getting your proposal selected for GSoC. You are wrong! You have a full summer ahead for a big work. We understand this! So this guide not only directs what should you do to get your proposal selected, it also guide you the later process for scheduling your time for coding to submitting your final code.