FOSS Recruitment — Contribution Round

Welcome! 🎉 This is the hands-on round for FOSS recruitment.
Instead of a typical interview, you’ll complete a 24-hour open-source style project.

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Process

1. Attend the 1-hour Git/GitHub session.
2. Fork this repo or create a branch from main in your fork.
3. Create your working branch:

   git checkout -b lastname_firstname

4. Add your project under:

   projects/lastname_firstname/
   

5. Inside your folder, include:
   • README.md (problem, features, run instructions)
   • Your project files (src/, docs/, etc.)
   • Optional (NO NEED FOR FRESHERS): .env.example
6. Commit & push, Open a PR to main within 24 hours.

Rules

• Use of AI tools is allowed and encouraged, but:

  • You must list all AI tools used in your project’s README.
  • We will not judge you for using AI code.
  • Evaluation will focus on idea, workflow, implementation, and thought process — not just the code.

• Work solo — no copy-pasted or team projects.

• Keep commits clean & meaningful.

• Do not modify files outside your own submission folder (projects/lastname_firstname/).

• Large binaries or secrets are not allowed.

🚨 Instant Disqualification If:

1. Seeking help from anyone except:
   • FOSS Core team
   • Recruitment Round 1 In-Charge (Abshiek)
2. Modifying or deleting any file outside your own folder under projects/lastname_firstname/

API Usage Policy

• APIs are optional (not mandatory).
• If you use one:
  • Include the integration code in your submission.
  • Provide a .env.example file (no real keys).
  • Your project must run in offline mode by default with sample/mock data.
  • Document offline vs. online steps in your README.
• Reviewers will test your project offline only.

Evaluation

You will be judged on:

• Git usage & PR hygiene
• Code quality
• Documentation & clarity
• Creativity
• Completion within 24h

See EVALUATION.md for details.

Tips & Tricks

• If you are a fresher or new to coding — do not worry about giving a “perfect” project.
  Focus on completing something functional within the 24 hours. Completion matters more than perfection.
• Start small, then improve — a working minimal project is better than a broken big idea.
• Document everything — even 2–3 lines about why you did something shows clarity of thought.
• Commit often — don’t push one giant commit at the end. It helps show your workflow.
• Test offline mode thoroughly — reviewers will only run your project offline.
• Use clear folder structure — e.g., src/, docs/, sample_output/.
• Add screenshots or demo output if possible — visuals help us quickly understand your project.
• If using APIs, cache responses into sample_output/ and default to offline mode.
• Don’t be afraid to use AI tools — just remember to list them in your README.
• Time management — 24 hours sounds long, but plan:
  • 2–3 hours: brainstorming & setup
  • 12–14 hours: coding & implementation
  • 4–5 hours: documentation & polishing