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🌍 Google Summer of Code (GSoC)

👤 About Me

Hello everyone 👋 My name is Shadil A M, and I am a 4th-year Computer Science Engineering (CSE) student from KTU University.

I was selected as a Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2025 Contributor with the open-source organization Zendalona.

During GSoC, I worked on zMantra, a math learning game designed for visually impaired students. This project was not just about writing code — it focused heavily on accessibility, research, and real-world impact.

As part of this work, I:

  • Visited blind schools
  • Interacted with real users
  • Collected feedback directly from visually impaired students
  • Improved the product based on actual user needs

This experience taught me that good software is not just functional, but inclusive.

I am also the founder of CodeCompass, an open-source platform built for students, where beginners can learn, explore open source, and grow together.

🔗 Connect With Me

🚀 GSoC Starter Kit (For Beginners)

This content is created as a GSoC Starter Kit for students who are:

  • New to open source
  • Interested in Google Summer of Code
  • Unsure where to begin

It is written in simple language, especially for beginners.

What this starter kit focuses on:

  • Understanding how GSoC actually works
  • Common mistakes beginners make
  • How to prepare step by step
  • What matters more than “just coding”

⚠️ This is not an official GSoC guide, but a student-to-student learning resource.

📘 CSE Student Starter Kit

I have also created a CSE Starter Kit to help students who are just beginning their Computer Science journey.

🔗 CSE Student Starter Guide: 👉 https://shadil-rayyan.github.io/cse-student-starter-guide/

This guide helps students with:

  • Getting started in Computer Science
  • Learning programming the right way
  • Understanding tools like GitHub
  • Avoiding confusion in early college years

It is especially useful for first-year and second-year students.

📊 GSoC Slides (Presentation)

I have created a GSoC presentation to explain the program visually and clearly.

🔗 GSoC Slides (PPT): 👉 https://gsoc-slides-lemon.vercel.app/

This presentation is useful for:

  • College sessions
  • GSoC awareness talks
  • Beginners who prefer slides over long text

⚠️ Important Disclaimer (Please Read)

  • This documentation is based only on my personal GSoC experience
  • GSoC selection varies a lot by organization and mentors
  • There is no guaranteed formula for selection
  • Your journey may be very different — and that is completely okay

🤖 AI Usage Disclaimer

  • I have used AI tools to:

  • Write content faster

  • Improve clarity and structure
  • Organize ideas better
  • Because of this, some information may be incomplete or slightly incorrect

  • Readers are strongly advised to:

  • Cross-check with official GSoC documentation

  • Verify organization-specific rules

Please treat this as a learning reference, not absolute truth.