When we learned that the Django Software Foundation has been accepted as a mentoring organization for Google Summer of Code 2026, it marked another steady milestone in a long-standing relationship. Django first participated in GSoC in 2006, and 2026 represents our 21st consecutive year in the program.
Over two decades, GSoC has become a consistent pathway for contributors to engage more deeply with Django — not just through a summer project, but often through continued involvement that extends well beyond the official coding period.
For many of you reading this, this might be your first exposure to how Django’s open source ecosystem works. So before we get into applications and expectations, let’s take a step back and understand the environment you’re stepping into.
Understanding the Django Ecosystem
The Django Software Foundation (DSF) is the non-profit organization that supports the long-term sustainability of Django. Django itself is developed entirely in the open. Feature discussions, architectural debates, bug reports, design proposals, and code reviews all happen publicly.
That openness is intentional. It allows anyone, from anywhere in the world, to participate. But it also means decisions are rarely made quickly or casually. Changes are discussed carefully. Trade-offs are evaluated. Backwards compatibility is taken seriously.
If you are new, it helps to understand the main spaces where this work happens:
- The is where broader discussions take place — new feature ideas, design direction, and community conversations.
- is the issue tracker, where bugs, feature requests, and patches are formally recorded and reviewed. If no one is working on an issue, you can assign it yourself and start working on it.
- Code contributions happen through , where proposed changes are reviewed, tested, and discussed in detail before being merged.
- New features are proposed and discussed in the . There is a that shows the state of each proposal.
For someone new, this ecosystem can feel overwhelming at first. Threads may reference decisions made years ago. Review comments can be detailed. Standards are high.
That is precisely why GSoC matters to us. It provides a structured entry point into this culture, with mentorship and guidance along the way, helping contributors understand not just how to write code — but how Django evolves.
Why the Django Forum Is Central
Most GSoC journeys in Django begin on the — the community’s public space for technical discussions about features, design decisions, and improvements to Django.
Introducing yourself there is not a formality; it is often your first real contribution. When you discuss a project idea publicly, you demonstrate how you think, how you respond to feedback, and how you handle technical trade-offs. Questions and challenges from mentors are not barriers — they are part of the collaborative design process.
Proposals that grow through open discussion on the Forum are almost always stronger than those written in isolation.
What To Do
If you are planning to apply for GSoC 2026 with Django, here is what we strongly encourage:
Start early.
Do not wait until the application window opens. Begin discussions well in advance.
Engage publicly.
Introduce yourself on the . Participate in ongoing threads. Show consistent involvement rather than one-time activity.
Demonstrate understanding(very important)
Read related tickets and past discussions. Reference them in your proposal. Show that you understand the technical and philosophical context.
Be realistic about scope.
Ambitious ideas are welcome, but they must be grounded in technical feasibility within the GSoC timeframe.
Show iteration.
If your proposal evolves because of feedback, that is a positive signal. It shows adaptability and thoughtful engagement.
What Not To Do
Equally important are the expectations around what we will not consider.
Do not submit a proposal without prior discussion.
A proposal that appears for the first time in the application form, without any Forum engagement, will be at a disadvantage.
Do not generate a proposal using AI and submit it as-is.
If a proposal is clearly AI-generated, lacks discussion history, and shows no evidence of personal understanding, it will be rejected. We evaluate your reasoning process, not just the surface quality of the document.
Do not copy previous proposals.
Each year’s context is different. We expect original thinking and up-to-date understanding.
Do not treat GSoC as a solo internship.
Django development is collaborative. If you are uncomfortable discussing ideas publicly or receiving detailed feedback, this may not be the right fit.
Do not submit empty or placeholder proposal documents.
In previous years, we have received blank or near-empty submissions, which create unnecessary effort for volunteer reviewers. Such proposals will not be considered.
Do not repeatedly tag or ping maintainers for reviews.
Once you’ve submitted your proposal or patch, give reviewers time to respond. Maintainers are volunteers managing many responsibilities, and repeated tagging does not speed up the process. Patience and respectful follow-ups (after a reasonable interval) are appreciated.
On AI Usage
We recognize that AI tools are now part of many developers’ workflows. Using AI to explore documentation, clarify syntax, or organize thoughts is not inherently a problem.
However, AI must not replace ownership.
You should be able to clearly explain your architectural decisions, justify trade-offs, and respond thoughtfully when challenged. If you cannot defend your own proposal without external assistance, it signals a lack of readiness for this kind of work.
The quality we look for is not perfect language — it is depth of understanding.
I’m a First-Time Contributor to Django — What Should I Do?
If this is your first time contributing to Django, start simple and start early.
First, spend some time understanding how Django works as an open source project. Read a few recent discussions on the and browse to see the kinds of problems being discussed.
Next, introduce yourself on the Forum. Share your background briefly and mention what areas interest you. You don’t need to have a perfect project idea on day one — curiosity and willingness to learn matter more.
Then:
- Read the official carefully.
- Try setting up Django locally and run the test suite.
- Look for small tickets on (including documentation or cleanup tasks) to understand the workflow.
- Ask questions on the or in if something is unclear.
Most importantly, be patient with yourself. Django is a mature and widely used framework, and it takes time to understand its design principles and contribution standards.
Strong contributors are not the ones who know everything at the start — they are the ones who show up consistently, engage thoughtfully, and improve through feedback.
To conclude
We are excited to welcome a new group of contributors into the Django ecosystem through Google Summer of Code 2026. We look forward to thoughtful ideas, constructive discussions, and a summer of meaningful collaboration — built not just on code, but on understanding and shared responsibility.
Theresa is a passionate community builder serving in the DSF Events Support Working Group. She has demonstrated strong leadership by taking on roles such as Local Organizer Commitee (LOC) Program Lead at PyCon Africa 2024 and Programs Chair for PyCon Ghana 2025. She also organized DjangoGirls events across multiple PyCons, including PyCon Ghana 2022 and PyCon Africa 2024.
You can learn more about Theresa by visiting and .
Let’s spend some time getting to know Theresa better!