In conversation with a GSoC Student Developer

Rahul Singhania
Sep 3, 2018 · 5 min read

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 3 month programming project during their break from school. It is one of the most grueling as well as a very fun experience a developer can have, while they get to learn a lot and gain industry exposure.

I recently had the opportunity to talk to one of the few student developers, Prabodh Kotasthane, about the whole GSoC process and his experience with Google Summer of Code. Prabodh participated in the Google Summer of Code 2018 and he recently finished his project, and he was very excited to talk about it.


Q. First of all congratulations on this accomplishment. How does it feel to crack the prestigious Google Summer of Code?

Thank you so much. It feels awesome! For me the feeling is associated more with the proposal phase. It really feels amazing when you get to see your name on the GSoC dashboard under a “active project”. When you come to know that all the hard work you did, all by yourself, to make a solid proposal and the proposal is accepted, it really boosts your confidence!

Q. Was this your first attempt at Google Summer of Code?

Yes it was my first attempt at Google Summer of Code. I started my GSoC journey in November 2017, and I have been preparing since then.

Q. How difficult was the whole process? What were the challenges that you faced?

I feel that the process of thinking, preparing, planning and finally participating in GSoC is the most challenging part. From the day you start thinking about participating in GSoC, you will have a new question each day for which you need to find the answer all by yourself. Which organization should I choose? What are my strength points? What type of technologies can I learn? Is this project right for me? May I take an attempt on this project to write an outstanding proposal?

These are some of the initial questions which arise, answers of which are probably not available on Stack Overflow or Quora. Writing a good proposal is again undoubtedly a big challenge! First of all, its not a two or three day job. You are given fifteen days and you need to utilize them fully in order to write a convincing and eye catching proposal.

Once your proposal gets accepted, the next couple of weeks challenge your communication skills and adaptability towards new people and new technologies. In this period, one needs to remain in touch with the organization and the respective project mentor, you also need discuss about starting the coding phase with your mentor. Apart from all this, you also need to setup a proper coding environment as per the project’s and organization’s demand.

Once the coding phase starts, each week you will have milestones to reach and new difficulties to deal with. I felt handling a large code base and debugging was very challenging. In the later part of the program, if you are going well, then the things become more and more comfortable. But you never know on which day you could feel “Will I be able to solve this problem and move ahead?”. And this is the question which always keeps on testing your abilities throughout the program.

Q. What is your project about?

My project is titled OAuth module enhancements and SMART apps support. The aim of the project was to extend the support of OpenMRS OAuth module toward SMART (Substitutable Medical Applications, Reusable Technologies) applications. These applications follow a specific protocol to interact with the OAuth module and the EHR. Some of the major goals were Integration of the EHR launch flow into the module virtue of which we can run the SMART applications from the EHR, i.e. OpenMRS itself , to extend the support for more permitted scopes which a client can request and also to write tests. I did completed one bonus deliverable of making an Open Web Application to support SMART functionality on OpenMRS Reference Application.

Q. Why did you choose OpenMRS as your target organization?

This particular organization, OpenMRS, was suggested to me by my classmate and my mentor itself, who did GSoC last year with the same organization. The organization’s code is primarily based on Java and related frameworks which I am comfortable to learn and adapt. Moreover, I found the organization very helpful and communication with the community was really easy, humble and quick.

Q. Being from a non-java background to being a java expert, how difficult was the transition?

I personally feel that Java was never an issue for me anytime. Yes I wasn’t that much experienced in Java but I had the proper basics of the language in my head and that I think, is sufficient. After that, I was required to learn the various other frameworks related to Java as per the project requirements and that is what GSoC is all about. Learning!

Q. How should a beginner approach the GSoC?

If you are thinking about participating in GSoC, then keep an open mind and start early. Think of any technologies and languages you are experienced/skilled in and start searching for organizations. Analyze the previous year data and approach two or three organizations. Go through the project list and search for the project on which you can possibly write a good proposal. Its not necessary that you fully understand the project on the first look. You may not get hints about how anything related to the project which you think you can do works, but that is what GSoC is, its all about developing yourself to be able to do things which you feel you are not good at. One should never quit in the middle just because the code base is large and it’s not clear how to proceed and write the proposal. Also be wise while thinking about how many proposals to write. One quality proposal will take you through but three average proposals may not be sufficient. So it is recommended that you take your time and write one or two solid proposals and try to learn as much as you can in the proposal phase. Talk and discuss as much as you can during the community bonding period. Plan out with your mentor about how things are going to start. In the coding phase, each week will present you with different challenges which will be the reason you become better and better. Sometimes you may feel things are not going well. You must not to panic at these times, just discuss with your mentors and feel free to ask the community. Once you get acquainted with all these things, GSoC will be fun!


I sincerely thank Prabodh for taking time out of his schedule and talk to us about the prestigious Google Summer of Code. I am sure his experience can be the guiding light students often seek in times of despair and darkness.

Here’s a link to his LinkedIn profile.

Cheers :)

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