Google Code-in
Google Code-in is a nonprofit initiative that introduces pre-university students aged 13-17 to open source development through a global contest. Over its 10-year run, the program engaged thousands of students and mentors, completing over 76,000 tasks across numerous open source organizations.
Overview
Google Code-in is a global contest aimed at introducing pre-university students aged 13-17 to open source development. The initiative encourages young participants to engage with open source projects by completing various tasks. The contest has been operational for 10 years, starting in November 2010 and concluding in January 2020. It has involved numerous open source organizations and a significant number of participants from around the world.
Contest Structure
The contest features tasks categorized into five main areas: code, documentation/training, outreach/research, quality assurance, and design. Each participating organization selects six finalists who receive limited edition hoodies. Additionally, two finalists from each organization are recognized as grand prize winners and are awarded a trip to Google Headquarters in California. Participants also receive prizes such as digital certificates and t-shirts.
Participation and Impact
Over the course of the contest, 14,798 teenagers from 117 countries and 6,008 schools completed a total of 76,281 open source tasks. The program attracted over 4300 mentors from 100 countries, highlighting its global reach and impact on youth engagement in open source development.
Historical Context
Google Code-in grew out of the Google Highly Open Participation contest (GHOP), which first took place in 2007. The transition to Google Code-in allowed for a more structured approach to engaging young students in open source contributions. Throughout its duration, 63 open source mentoring organizations participated, showcasing a diverse range of projects and initiatives.
Task Completion Statistics
The contest recorded varying levels of task completion across its years. In 2015, 4,776 tasks were completed with 14 open source organizations. This number increased significantly in subsequent years, with 6,379 tasks in 2016, 16,468 tasks in 2017, 15,323 tasks in 2018, and 20,840 tasks in 2019, involving 29 organizations. These statistics reflect the growing interest and participation in open source development among pre-university students.