GCC GSoC 2026: Call for project ideas and mentors
Martin Jambor
mjambor@suse.cz
Wed Feb 4 11:03:58 GMT 2026
Hi,
On Tue, Feb 03 2026, Tucker Taft wrote:
> Sorry, we missed out on this stage of the process last year, so I was
> unaware that you needed a concrete list of projects at this point.
>
I guess I should have been more clear about this. A good project idea
list is an important criteria when Organisation applications are
evaluated so we need to have it (almost) ready by the application
deadline (which was yesterday).
> Below is the proposal.
Wonderful, thanks a lot, I have added it to our Summer of Code page.
Martin
>
> Sincerely,
> -Tucker Taft
>
> -----------------------------
>
> Project title: Compile-time data-race detection and global variable analysis
>
> Description:
> Ada 2022 specifies a series of levels of checking for data races and
> global variable usage.
> We propose to implement the Global variable analysis specified in the Ada
> 2022 RM section 6.1.2,
> which checks that any use of global variables within a subprogram
> correspond to the usages
> specified by the "Global" aspect for the subprogram. We also propose to
> implement the compile-time
> parallel conflict checking specified in section 9.10.1 as
> "All_Parallel_Conflict_Checks" which verifies
> that a parallel construct only reads or updates global variables that are
> "synchronized" objects.
>
> Expected outcome:
> The compiler will recognize the Global aspect for subprograms, and detect
> uses
> of global variables that exceed the specification for a given subprogram.
> The compiler
> will recognize the Conflict_Check_Policy pragma, and will detect uses of
> non-synchronized
> global variables by parallel constructs.
>
> Project size:
> This could be a medium or large project (175 or 350 hours), depending
> on the applicant's familiarity with the GCC Ada front end (GNAT).
>
> Difficulty:
> This would be of medium difficulty, as this is only enforcing
> compile-time restrictions,
> and has no effect on the generated code.
>
> Expected Mentors:
> Tucker Taft and Richard Wai
>
> Skills required:
> Basic understanding of compiler front-end syntax and static semantic
> processing.
> Experience with writing significant programs in Ada. Ideally, some
> familiarity with
> the GCC Ada front end (GNAT).
>
> Study materials:
> Documentation of the GCC Ada front end (GNAT) which is included within
> the
> Ada source code for critical packages. The Ada 2022 Reference Manual. The
> textbook
> "Programming in Ada 2022" (John Barnes). A compiler textbook with good
> coverage
> of compiler front end structure, such as Appel's "Modern Compiler
> Implementation".
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 6:46 PM Martin Jambor <mjambor@suse.cz> wrote:
>
>> Hello Tucker,
>>
>> On Tue, Jan 20 2026, Tucker Taft wrote:
>> > We plan to submit another project to implement Ada 2022 features in the
>> GCC
>> > Ada front end that have not yet been implemented. Last year's
>> > implementation of the Ada 2022 parallel features was successful, and
>> > received a lot of interest. A related feature is compile-time checking
>> of
>> > the safe use of global variables and other shared variables in the
>> context
>> > of parallel processing, and would have the effect of detecting data races
>> > at compile time, ensuring that the parallel features are being used
>> > correctly.
>> >
>> > -Tucker Taft and Richard Wai
>>
>> this is great, but we need to have the list of project ideas ready by
>> couple of hours ago. Sorry that I am only replying now, I was ill and
>> in bed the entire last week.
>>
>> In reality I hope that we still have a few (but really only few) days to
>> add it. Can you please write the project idea down and either directly
>> enter it to the wiki or email it to me?
>>
>> I do need all the information described in points a - g below, but the
>> actual description really only needs to be 5-2 sentences and most of the
>> rest is even shorter. Point h can be provided later but please think
>> about it so that you have something when students start applying.
>>
>> Thanks a lot,
>>
>> Martin
>>
>>
>> >
>> > On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 10:11 AM Martin Jambor <mjambor@suse.cz> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hello,
>> >>
>> >> another year has passed, Google has announced there will be again Google
>> >> Summer of Code (GsoC) in 2026 and the deadline for organizations to
>> apply
>> >> is already approaching (February 3rd). I'd like to volunteer to be the
>> >> main org-admin for GCC again but let me know if you think I shouldn't or
>> >> that someone else should or if you want to do it instead. Otherwise
>> I'll
>> >> assume that I will and I hope that I can continue to rely on Thomas
>> >> Schwinge and David Edelsohn to back me up and help me with some decision
>> >> making along the way as my co-org-admins.
>> >>
>> >> ======================== The most important bit:
>> ========================
>> >>
>> >> I would like to ask all (moderately) seasoned GCC contributors to
>> consider
>> >> mentoring a contributor this year and ideally also come up with a
>> project
>> >> that they would like to lead. We are collecting proposal on our wiki
>> page
>> >> https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/SummerOfCode - feel free to add yours to the
>> top
>> >> list there. Or, if you are unsure, post your offer and project idea as
>> a
>> >> reply here to the mailing list.
>> >>
>> >> Additionally, if you have added an idea to the list in recent years,
>> >> please review it whether it is still up-to-date or needs adjusting or
>> >> should be removed altogether.
>> >>
>> >>
>> =========================================================================
>> >>
>> >> At this point, we need to collect list of project ideas. Eventually,
>> >> each listed project idea should have:
>> >>
>> >> a) a project title,
>> >> b) more detailed description of the project (2-5 sentences),
>> >> c) expected outcomes (we do have a catch-almost-all formulation that
>> >> outcome is generally patches at the bottom of the list on the
>> >> wiki),
>> >> d) project size - whether it is expected to take approximately 350,
>> >> 175 or just 90 hours (see below about the last option),
>> >> e) difficulty (easy, hard or medium, but we don't really have easy
>> >> projects),
>> >> f) expected mentors,
>> >> g) skills required/preferred, and...
>> >>
>> >> h) [this is new] ...pointers to things applicant should study in order
>> >> to learn about the topic. Please think also about a way to verify
>> >> they can get basic stiff done (post test results, look up basic
>> stuff
>> >> in a gdb session... etc) though these do not need to be listed,
>> these
>> >> can be requested when they approach us. (See notes from Cauldron
>> 2025
>> >> GSoC BoF:
>> https://gcc.gnu.org/pipermail/gcc/2025-October/246780.html
>> >> ).
>> >>
>> >> Project ideas that come without an offer to also mentor them are always
>> >> fun to discuss, by all means feel free to reply to this email with yours
>> >> and I will attempt to find a mentor, but please be aware that we can
>> >> only use the suggestion it if we actually find one or ideally two.
>> >>
>> >> Everybody in the GCC community is invited to go over
>> >> https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/SummerOfCode and remove any outdated or
>> >> otherwise bad project suggestions and help improve viable ones.
>> >>
>> >> Finally, please continue helping (prospective) students figure stuff out
>> >> about GCC like you have always done in the past.
>> >>
>> >> GSoC 2026 should be quite similar to the last year, the most important
>> >> parameters probably are these:
>> >>
>> >> - Contributors (formerly students) must either be full-time students
>> >> or be "beginners to open source."
>> >>
>> >> - There are now three project sizes: roughly 90 hors (small), roughly
>> >> 175 hours (medium-sized) and roughly 350 hours (large) of work in
>> >> total. The small option was introduced in 2024 but because our
>> >> projects usually have a lengthy learning period, I think we will
>> >> almost always want to stick to the medium and large variants.
>> >>
>> >> - Timing should be pretty much as flexible as last year. The
>> >> recommended "standard" duration is 12 weeks but depending on
>> >> contributor's and mentor's needs and circumstances, projects can
>> >> take anywhere between 10 and 22 weeks. There will be one mid-term
>> >> and one final evaluation.
>> >>
>> >> For further details you can see:
>> >>
>> >> - The announcement of GSoC 2026:
>> >>
>> >>
>> https://opensource.googleblog.com/2025/12/shape-future-with-google-summer-of-code.html
>> >>
>> >> - GSoC rules:
>> >> https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/rules
>> >>
>> >> - Detailed GSoC 2026 timeline:
>> >> https://developers.google.com/open-source/gsoc/timeline
>> >>
>> >> - Elaborate project idea guidelines:
>> >>
>> >>
>> https://google.github.io/gsocguides/mentor/defining-a-project-ideas-list
>> >>
>> >> Thank you very much for your participation and help. Let's hope we
>> >> attract some great contributors again this year.
>> >>
>> >> Martin
>> >>
>>
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