This page contains information on BlackArch’s participation in Google Summer of Code (GSoC). Feel free to contact us for clarifications and more information.
You can reach out to us via email, or Matrix.
If you have an idea for BlackArch Linux you would like to introduce, please open a pull request and discuss it with us.
BlackArch is still in the process of applying to be a mentoring organization. While we wait for a response from Google OSPO, please read the GSoC Contributor Guide
If you are a contributor looking forward to participating in Google Summer of Code with BlackArch, please browse this idea list. Note that there may be additional ideas added during the application period.
Do not hesitate to contact the mentors or contributors listed on this page for any questions or clarification. You can find helpful people on our communication channels.
The following contributors are available to provide general help and support for the GSoC program. If a specific project mentor is busy, you can contact one of the people below for short-term help on your project or task.
Mentors are listed by their respective usernames on Matrix.
- ikstream (Org Admin)
- pwnfoo (Org Admin)
- CLI installer redesign
- Graphical package manager interface
- Blackman rewrite
- Python 3 Migration
- BlackArch on WSL
- BlackArch Template for Qubes OS
- Blackarch Tool documentation
- Search Tool for BlackArch packages
- None of the above
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : Linux, Bash, Scripting
- Mentor(s) : @ikstream/@noptrix
- Project Size: 350h
The current CLI installer is pretty straight forward, and gets the job done. However, as BlackArch aims to become more user friendly, especially during the install process, we need to make sure that all edge cases are handled and accidental exits (during partitioning, locale selection, etc.) are handled gracefully.
Overall, goal of this project is to improve the usability, user experience and features of the installer.
As a GSoC intern, you will be responsible for:
- Gathering community feedback on CLI installer
- Add logging feature to keep track of user decisions during install
- Enhancing the overall 'look and feel' of the CLI installer
- Adding additional tests, checks and error recovery mechanisms
- Implemeting dialog interface
- Scripting in ability to resume installations (streach goal)
- Difficulty : Easy
- Technology : Python/Rust/Go it's basically your choice
- Mentor(s) : @pownfoo
- Project Size: 350h
If you decide to take this project, you would be responsible to create a graphical interface for Blackarch repositories.
- allow installation of tools from graphical front end
- allow additional repositories to be added
- provide a graphical pacman front-end
- allow pacman config changes
- allow additional repositories
- provide logs of updated packages/versions
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : Python/Rust/Go it's basically your choice
- Mentor(s) : @ikstream/@pownfoo
- Project Size: 175h/350h
Blackman, the emerge like tool for BlackArch is outdated and lacks some functions. We would like you to rewrite this tool in either Python 3 or Rust. Currently Blackman is written in Shell script. With Blackman you can build BlackArch packages and it's dependencies from source.
- build BlackArch packages from source
- build BlackArch dependencies from source
- allow additional repositories to build from source
- Documentation (in code as well as Readme)
- build BlackArch Packages, no dependencies
350h:
- build dependencies
- build additional repositories
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : Python
- Mentor(s) : @ikstream/@pownfoo/@noptrix
- Project Size: 175h/350h depending on number/size of tool
There are several useful tools, that rely on Python 2 as interpreter. As Python 2 reached end of life, we would like to change it. If you want to take up this project please name the tool(s) you would like to port and provide a time table. Please join our discord or IRC channel for further discussion prior.
- depending on the selected tools and time 5-10 transferred tools
- updated documentation
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : WSL, Windows
- Mentor(s) : @ikstream
- Project Size: 175h
Windows Subsystem for Linux allows user to run a Linux distribution under Windows. It would be handy to have the full power of the BlackArch repository available under Windows using WSL. Therefore you would need to create the base structure with automation for updates in mind and documentation for users and developers alike.
- Documentation on the build and usage process
- Build automation
- WSL template
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : Qubes OS
- Mentor(s) : TBD
Qubes OS uses a strong isolation to provide security with Xen-based virtualization. There have been user requests to add a template for BlackArch on Qubes Is template system. Therefore you would need to create the template itself with automation for updates in mind. In addition you should create documentation for user and developers alike.
TBD
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : Latex, Wiki, Markdown
- Mentor(s) : @ikstream
- Project Size: 175h/350h
Currently BlackArch provides a guide on how to get started, but none for the individual tools. Therefore it would be up to you to extract the instructions on how to use each tool from the projects side and make them available in Markdown as well as on our website. Your software should be designed in a way, that it can handle most new packages without problems as well.
175h:
- evaluate possible solutions for offline tool documentation database
- implement selected solution based on community feedback for a subset of tools
350h:
- implement automation for tool documentation (git repo based tools)
- Difficulty : Intermediate
- Technology : Linux, Bash, Scripting, JavaScript
- Mentor(s) : @noptrix
- Project Size: 175h
Often potential user reach out over our communication channels to ask if a certain tool is available, or certain techniques are supported with tools on BlackArch. Therefore you would create a search tool for the package repository based on tool names and keywords. In addition these tools should show the version available online and available in the BlackArch repository.
- improve the existing online tool to work with keywords as well
- add a command line tool with tools related to certain keywords
- provide an interface to work with tool documentation
Your favorite idea isn't in here? Feel free to open a Pull Request and explain your idea to us, or join our irc/matrix/discord and talk to us.