> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://projectdiscovery-feat-gsoc.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started with GSoC

> Everything you need to know to participate in Google Summer of Code 2026 with ProjectDiscovery

# Getting Started with GSoC 2026

Ready to contribute to ProjectDiscovery through Google Summer of Code? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to apply and succeed.

## What is Google Summer of Code?

Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a global program that connects new contributors with open source organizations. Contributors work on real-world projects under the guidance of experienced mentors and receive a stipend from Google upon successful completion.

### Program Benefits

* **💰 Stipend**: Receive payment from Google for your work (up to \$3,000 USD for 350-hour projects)
* **👨‍🏫 Mentorship**: Learn from experienced software engineers and open source maintainers
* **💻 Software Development Skills**: Build production-quality code used by thousands worldwide
* **🎓 Experience**: Gain real-world open source development experience
* **🌐 Network**: Connect with the global developer and security community
* **🏆 Recognition**: GSoC certificate, contributor credit in releases, and portfolio-building projects
* **📈 Career Growth**: Boost your resume with recognized open source contributions

<Note>
  Learn more about GSoC on the [official website](https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/).
</Note>

## Eligibility Requirements

To participate in GSoC 2026, you must meet **all** of these criteria:

* **Age**: Be at least 18 years old when you register
* **Status**: Be either:
  * A student (enrolled in an accredited institution), OR
  * An open source beginner (someone with minimal open source experience - personal projects, class projects, or only a few PRs/issues)
* **GSoC History**: Not have been accepted as a GSoC Contributor more than once before
* **Availability**: Commit 175 or 350 hours over 12-14 weeks
* **Work Authorization**: Be eligible to work in your country of residence during the program
* **Location**: Not reside in a country currently embargoed by the United States (check [GSoC rules](https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/rules))

<Warning>
  **Geographic Restrictions for 2026**: GSoC 2026 is not accepting participants from Russia, Belarus, or the so-called Donetsk People's Republic ("DNR") and Luhansk People's Republic ("LNR").
</Warning>

<Note>
  **What qualifies as "open source beginner"?** This includes people whose open source experience is limited to personal/class projects, projects used at a single institution, or opening a small number of issues or pull requests. See [GSoC FAQ](https://developers.google.com/open-source/gsoc/faq) for details.
</Note>

## How to Participate: 6 Steps

### 1. Join the Community

Connect with ProjectDiscovery's community on Discord:

<Card title="Join Discord" icon="discord" iconType="solid" href="https://discord.com/invite/projectdiscovery">
  Join our 20,000+ member community to connect with mentors and contributors
</Card>

**What to do**:

* Introduce yourself in the #introductions channel
* Join the #gsoc channel for program-specific discussions
* Ask questions in #general and #help channels

### 2. Explore ProjectDiscovery Tools

Get hands-on experience with our security tools. **Start with simpler tools** to get familiar with our codebase:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Subfinder" icon="radar" iconType="duotone" href="/opensource/subfinder">
    Subdomain discovery - Great starting point!
  </Card>

  <Card title="httpx" icon="browser" iconType="duotone" href="/opensource/httpx">
    HTTP probing toolkit - Beginner-friendly
  </Card>

  <Card title="dnsx" icon="tags" iconType="duotone" href="/opensource/dnsx">
    DNS toolkit - Easy to understand
  </Card>

  <Card title="Nuclei" icon="atom" iconType="regular" href="/opensource/nuclei">
    Vulnerability scanner - More advanced
  </Card>

  <Card title="Katana" icon="sword" iconType="duotone" href="/opensource/katana">
    Web crawler - More complex
  </Card>

  <Card title="All Tools" icon="toolbox" iconType="solid" href="/opensource">
    Browse all 15+ tools
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

**What to do**:

* **Beginners**: Start with Subfinder or httpx - simpler codebases, easier to contribute
* Install and try at least 2-3 tools
* Read the documentation
* Run examples and understand functionality
* Look for areas you could improve or learn from

### 3. Review Project Ideas

Browse available projects and find one that matches your interests and skills:

<Card title="View Project Ideas" icon="lightbulb" iconType="duotone" href="/opensource/gsoc/2026/project-ideas">
  Browse 2026 project ideas across our tool ecosystem
</Card>

**What to do**:

* Read all project descriptions carefully
* Consider your skills and interests
* Think about which project excites you most
* Consider proposing your own custom project

### 4. Make Initial Contributions

Start contributing to ProjectDiscovery projects **before** applying:

<Tip>
  **Critical**: Contributors who make meaningful contributions before applying have significantly higher acceptance rates.
</Tip>

**Where to start**:

* Look for issues labeled `good-first-issue` or `help-wanted`
* Fix documentation typos or improve clarity
* Add test cases
* Fix bugs
* Improve error messages

**Find issues**:

* [Nuclei Issues](https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/issues)
* [httpx Issues](https://github.com/projectdiscovery/httpx/issues)
* [Katana Issues](https://github.com/projectdiscovery/katana/issues)
* [All ProjectDiscovery Repos](https://github.com/projectdiscovery)

### 5. Draft Your Proposal

Write a detailed proposal following our guidelines:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Application Process" icon="file-pen" href="/opensource/gsoc/2026/application-process">
    Detailed proposal guidelines
  </Card>

  <Card title="Proposal Template" icon="file-lines" href="/opensource/gsoc/resources/proposal-template">
    Use our template
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

**What to include**:

* Clear project description
* Detailed week-by-week timeline
* Your qualifications and experience
* Prior contributions to ProjectDiscovery
* Testing and documentation plans

<Warning>
  **Timeline**: Start your proposal at least 2-3 weeks before the deadline. Give yourself time to get feedback and iterate.
</Warning>

### 6. Submit Application

Submit your proposal through the official GSoC website:

**Application Period**: March 18 - April 1, 2026 (18:00 UTC)

<Card title="GSoC Website" icon="paper-plane" iconType="solid" href="https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/">
  Submit your proposal on the official GSoC platform
</Card>

**Submission tips**:

* Submit early - don't wait until the last minute
* Double-check all links and formatting
* Proofread carefully
* Keep a copy of your proposal

## Before You Apply

### Prerequisites

To be successful in GSoC with ProjectDiscovery, you should have:

**Required Skills**:

* Programming experience (especially Go)
* Basic understanding of command-line tools
* Git and GitHub workflow knowledge
* Ability to read and write technical documentation
* Self-motivation and time management

**Preferred Skills** (depends on project):

* Security testing or vulnerability research experience
* Web development knowledge (HTML/CSS/JavaScript)
* Database or networking concepts
* Experience with CI/CD pipelines

<Tip>
  Don't worry if you don't have all preferred skills - GSoC is about learning! Focus on demonstrating your ability to learn and grow.
</Tip>

### Setting Up Your Development Environment

Each tool has specific setup instructions:

1. **Install Go**: Most projects require Go 1.21+
   ```bash theme={null}
   # Visit https://go.dev/doc/install
   ```

2. **Fork and Clone Repository**:
   ```bash theme={null}
   # Example for Nuclei
   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/nuclei.git
   cd nuclei
   ```

3. **Follow Tool-Specific Docs**:
   * [Nuclei Development](/opensource/nuclei)
   * [httpx Development](/opensource/httpx)
   * [Katana Development](/opensource/katana)

### Making Your First Contribution

**Step-by-step**:

1. Find a good first issue
2. Comment on the issue to claim it
3. Fork the repository
4. Create a branch for your changes
5. Make your changes with tests
6. Commit with a clear message
7. Push and create a pull request
8. Respond to code review feedback

[Learn more about contributing →](/opensource/gsoc/2026/community-engagement)

## Timeline for Success

Here's a recommended timeline for applying:

| When                          | What to Do                                                        |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **6-8 weeks before deadline** | Join Discord, explore tools, start learning codebase              |
| **4-6 weeks before deadline** | Make your first contributions, discuss project ideas with mentors |
| **3-4 weeks before deadline** | Draft your proposal, get feedback from mentors                    |
| **2-3 weeks before deadline** | Finalize proposal, continue contributing                          |
| **1 week before deadline**    | Final review, submit proposal                                     |
| **Before deadline**           | Submit and relax!                                                 |

<Note>
  **Pro Tip**: The most successful applicants start engaging with the community 6-8 weeks before the application deadline.
</Note>

## What Happens After You Apply?

### Selection Process

1. **April 1**: Application deadline
2. **April - May**: Mentors review and score proposals
3. **May 1**: Accepted contributors announced
4. **May 1-26**: Community bonding period
5. **May 27**: Coding period begins!

### If You're Accepted

Congratulations! Next steps:

* Participate in community bonding activities
* Finalize your project plan with mentors
* Set up regular communication schedules
* Start contributing!

### If You're Not Accepted

Don't be discouraged! You can:

* Continue contributing as a community member
* Work on your project independently
* Apply again next year
* Join other open source projects

Many of our core contributors started by not being accepted in GSoC but stayed involved in the community.

## Tips for Success

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Start Early" icon="clock" iconType="solid">
    Begin engaging 6-8 weeks before the deadline. Early starters have higher success rates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contribute First" icon="code" iconType="solid">
    Make meaningful code contributions before applying. This demonstrates commitment and ability.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Communicate Well" icon="comments" iconType="solid">
    Ask questions, provide updates, be responsive. Good communication is crucial for remote work.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Be Realistic" icon="scale-balanced" iconType="solid">
    Propose achievable goals. It's better to under-promise and over-deliver.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Do I need security experience?**

No! While security knowledge helps, it's not required. We're looking for strong programmers who are eager to learn about security.

**Q: Can I work on multiple projects?**

No, you can only participate in one GSoC project per year across all organizations.

**Q: Do I need to contribute before applying?**

While not strictly required, contributors with prior meaningful contributions have significantly higher acceptance rates.

**Q: Can I propose my own project?**

Yes! Custom proposals are welcome, but discuss your idea with mentors first to ensure it aligns with ProjectDiscovery's goals.

[More FAQs →](/opensource/gsoc/2026/faq)

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Join Discord" icon="discord" href="https://discord.com/invite/projectdiscovery">
    Start here: introduce yourself
  </Card>

  <Card title="Browse Projects" icon="lightbulb" href="/opensource/gsoc/2026/project-ideas">
    Find a project you like
  </Card>

  <Card title="Read Application Guide" icon="file-pen" href="/opensource/gsoc/2026/application-process">
    Learn how to apply
  </Card>

  <Card title="View Timeline" icon="calendar-days" href="/opensource/gsoc/2026/timeline">
    Important dates
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Good luck with your application! We're excited to work with you. 🚀