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GSoC offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in open-source development, work closely with mentors, and make significant contributions to coding projects. Beyond the summer, many participants find themselves forging lifelong connections with the open-source community.
BeagleBoard.org actively participates in the Google Summer of Code program as a mentorship organization. This page serves as a hub for mentors and mentees interested in participating in GSoC with BeagleBoard.
Google Summer of Code is open to individuals age 18 and older in most countries who are new or beginner contributors to open source coding projects.
Read more on the `GSoC site rules <https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/rules>`_ page and the `FAQ <https://developers.google.com/open-source/gsoc/faq>`_.
For students
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Students Looking for Ideas
==========================
students within the BeagleBoard community, discover a curated list of GSOC project ideas. These projects span the BeagleBone universe, offering you the chance to contribute to the growth of our community while gaining valuable experience. Find the project that resonates with your passion and aspirations.
Propose a project that excites you greatly, even if it is not on this list, as past Google Summer of Code projects demonstrate that enthusiasm is the key to success. Using `Discord <https://bbb.io/gsocchat>`_ or `Discourse <https://bbb.io/gsocml>`_, we will be happy to assist students in turning their ideas into projects. We will connect students to projects based on their interests and assist in scoping the proposals to something that can be finished within the Summer of Code period. There are many possible project ideas.
Explore existing projects at `Projects Archive - BeagleBoard <http://www.beagleboard.org/projects>`_. If you're interested in any projects listed on the BeagleBoard.org projects page, contact the project members to explore opportunities for enhancement and potential GSoC projects. Additionally, check out ideas on the `ECE497 class project idea list <https://elinux.org/ECE497_Project_Ideas>`_ and the `2023’s idea page <https://elinux.org/BeagleBoard/GSoC/Ideas-2023>`_. Note that we prioritize projects that provide a service to the developer community, offering useful software components for others to utilize.
General requirements
=====================
All projects have the following basic requirements:
1. Students must create accounts on `OpenBeagle <https://openbeagle.org/>`_, `Discord <http://bbb.io/gsocchat>`_ and `Beagle Forum <http://bbb.io/gsocml>`_ prior to creating their application.
2. All newly generated materials must be released under an `open source license <http://www.opensource.org/licenses>`_.
3. Individual students shall retain copyright on their works.
4. Students will demonstrate their ability to cross-compile and utilize version control software by creating a “Hello World” application and generating a pull request to `gsoc-application/ExampleEntryJasonKridner at master · jadonk/gsoc-application · GitHub <https://github.com/jadonk/gsoc-application/tree/master/ExampleEntryJasonKridner>`_. For assistance, please visit `Discord <http://bbb.io/gsocchat>`_ or utilize the `Beagle Forum <http://bbb.io/gsocml>`_. The “Hello World” application must print your name and the date out in an ARM Linux environment. Freely available emulators may be used to test your application or you can ask anyone on the chat or mailing list to help you test.
5. All projects will produce reusable software components and will not be “what–I-built-over-my-summer-vacation” projects. Including a hardware component is welcome, but the project deliverable will be software that may be utilized by a wide audience of the `BeagleBoard.org <http://beagleboard.org/>`_ community.
6. Students will demonstrate their ability to collaborate by creating a project proposal on this forum (template to be provided) and utilizing `Discord <http://bbb.io/gsocchat>`_ to collect quotes regarding the usefulness of their proposal to the `BeagleBoard.org <http://beagleboard.org/>`_ community. The wiki timestamp will help mentors recognize the provenance of ideas from prospective students. Use of Google Docs for proposal development is discouraged due to insufficient revision control and extensive use of computing resources having numerous documents open simultaneously.
7. Source code generated during the project must be released on OpenBeagle (and we’ll setup a mirror on `Github.com <http://github.com/>`_).
8. To help you to break your project down into manageable chunks and also to help the project’s mentors to better support your efforts, weekly project status reports should be e-mailed to the the `Beagle Forum <http://bbb.io/gsocml>`_. Each status report should outline:
9. what was accomplished that week,
10. any issues that prevented that week’s goals from being completed and
11. your goals for the next week.
12. Students will provide two recorded audio/video presentations uploaded to Youtube or Vimeo (screencasts are appropriate), one near the beginning of the project summarizing their project goals and another in the wrap-up phase to summarize their accomplishments. Examples can be found on `<http://beagleboard.org/gsoc>`_ . There is no requirement to show your faces or use English.
How to write a successful proposal
==================================
`BeagleBoard.org <http://beagleboard.org/>`_ has received a substantial number of student proposals throughout its participation in the Google Summer of Code (GSoC) program. While some proposals exhibit commendable quality, a significant portion falls short of the standards acceptable for GSoC participation. This document aims to outline common pitfalls observed in unsuccessful proposals and provide guidance on key elements to ensure proposal success.
Common Pitfalls in Unsuccessful Proposals:
------------------------------------------
1. Attempting to present prior school projects as suitable for GSoC, often with little relevance to `BeagleBoard.org hardware <https://www.beagleboard.org/boards>`_.
2. Submitting hastily composed proposals with minimal content, comprising basic information and a generic commitment to hard work.
3. Providing generic proposals distributed to multiple GSoC organizations, lacking specific details on deliverables or project timelines.
4. Presenting project ideas without prior discussion with BeagleBoard.org mentors in official communication channels such as `Discord <http://bbb.io/gsocchat>`_, `Discourse <https://bbb.io/gsocml>`_, or IRC.
Key Elements for Proposal Success:
----------------------------------
1. Relevance: Proposals must align with BeagleBoard.org and address topics recognized by mentors through discussions on official platforms.
2. Detail: Proposals should be sufficiently detailed to clearly articulate the project scope, deliverables, and a well-defined schedule.
3. Early Initiation: Begin working on your proposal well in advance to allow ample time for thoughtful consideration and refinement.
4. Frequent Mentor Communication: Regularly communicate with mentors to seek guidance, share progress, and refine your proposal based on their insights.
5. Project Deliberation: Dedicate appropriate time to contemplate the project's deliverables, ensuring a clear and comprehensive description in your proposal.
Crafting a successful GSoC proposal for BeagleBoard.org requires careful consideration, early initiation, and active engagement with mentors. By adhering to these guidelines, prospective participants increase their chances of submitting a proposal that meets the organization's expectations.
For mentors
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Prospective mentors, To express your interest and make contact with potential students, please provide up-to-date information using the `Template`_ given below. While we welcome all community members to offer guidance, official mentor status with the ability to evaluate proposals and grade students will be granted through the Google system. Approval as an official mentor is contingent upon a demonstrated history of engagement with Beagle projects.
Please post ideas in the `Google Summer of Code <https://forum.beagleboard.org/c/gsoc/13>`_ category with the tag gsoc-ideas.
Template
========================
Long summary of the project.
| Goal: (concise statement that describes completion and expected outcomes)
| Hardware Skills:
| Software Skills:
| Possible Mentors: (Discord nicknames of possible mentors for prospective students to contact)
| Expected size of project: (175 or 350 hour)
| Rating: (easy, medium or hard)
| Upstream Repository: (git repository and/or link to upstreaming process)
@@ -32,3 +32,11 @@ to propose changes to this document in a merge request.
rst-cheat-sheet
linux-upstream
/CONTRIB
GSoC
Google Summer of Code (GSoC)
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For newcomers venturing into the realm of open-source contribution, Google Summer of Code (GSoC) stands as an invaluable platform. GSoC provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with the open-source community, engaging in the identification and development of exciting projects during the summer term.
BeagleBoard.org serves as a mentorship organization that takes part in the Google Summer of Code program actively, giving students the opportunity to work on open-source projects during the summer. Visit our dedicated :ref:`beagleboard-GSOC` for more information about this program, including past projects and mentorship opportunities.
