KWoC: A Winter to Remember

**Kharagpur Winter of Code (KWoC)**, organized by the Kharagpur Open Source Society (KOSS), is an initiative aimed at introducing students with little to no experience in open-source development to the world of contributions. Guided by experienced mentors, KWoC provides a platform for students to break into open-source. Inspired by programs like Google Summer of Code, Outreachy, and others, KWoC fosters learning and collaboration in the open-source community.

KWoC organised by KOSS

Open source has always fascinated me — a vast, collaborative world where developers across the globe work together to create amazing software. However, every time I peeked into an open-source project, I found myself overwhelmed and intimidated. It felt like stepping into a room full of experts, where I didn’t belong.

That was until one day when a boy, who seemed like an angel in disguise, mentioned something called Kharagpur Winter of Code (KWoC). I don’t remember his name, but his words were my gateway to something truly transformative. Intrigued, I looked up KWoC and started reading the student manual. To my surprise, it was written in a way that was incredibly beginner-friendly — simple, clear, and motivating.

For the first time, I felt confident. I followed the instructions step by step, building the courage to take the plunge. The process was straightforward in theory:

1. Find a project you like from the collection listed on the KWoC website.
2. Contribute to it by writing code, fixing bugs, or improving documentation.

Sounds simple, right? Well, not quite.

The real challenge came in choosing the right project. It wasn’t just about finding something interesting; it also had to align with the tech stack I was familiar with. I combed through the list of projects, deliberated over each one, and eventually shortlisted three that caught my attention.

But how to narrow it down further? That’s when I turned to the projects’ GitHub pages to evaluate their activity. I checked how responsive the mentors were, how often contributions were merged, and how welcoming the community felt. After much consideration, I decided to focus on a project called **CalcDiverse**.

CalcDiverse Website

Choosing CalcDiverse was a pivotal moment — it was the start of my hands-on journey in open source. While the road ahead was still uncertain, I felt like I had finally taken the first real step into a world that once seemed so intimidating.

My First Pull Request: A Moment to Remember

After selecting CalcDiverse as my project, the next challenge was submitting my first pull request (PR). It felt like a monumental task, but I was determined to take it one step at a time.

I went through the list of issues repeatedly, looking for something I could confidently tackle. Finally, I stumbled upon a bug issue. I had heard that fixing bugs is usually a great starting point for beginners, so I decided to give it a shot. With a mix of excitement and nervousness, I reached out to the mentors and requested them to assign the issue to me.

Once I got the green light, I hopped right into solving it. To my relief, it truly was a beginner-friendly issue, and I managed to fix it within a few minutes. However, the real challenge wasn’t the bug itself — it was setting up the project and its files. Understanding the structure and getting everything to run smoothly took considerable effort.

When I finally submitted my first PR, it was a moment of immense pride and satisfaction.

The Thrill of Contributions: Going All Out

As the saying goes, “Once a lion has tasted blood, it won’t stop until it’s eaten an entire village.” That’s exactly how I felt after my first PR was merged — it was a rush like no other! Fueled by this success, I went into full Super Saiyan mode, diving headfirst into more issues and working tirelessly to get my PRs merged.

With every merge, my confidence grew. Soon, I wasn’t just working on existing issues — I started identifying new ones and opening them myself. It felt incredible to contribute meaningfully to the project while pushing my limits with every step.

By the end of the five-week program, I had accomplished something I never thought possible: six PRs merged, each labeled as medium or hard. It was a rollercoaster of learning, experimenting, and improving, and the satisfaction at the end was unparalleled.

KWoC turned out to be more than just a program for me — it was a launchpad into the vast world of open source. Looking back, I couldn’t be prouder of what I achieved in such a short time.

As this chapter closes, I know this isn’t the end. It’s only the beginning of a much larger journey. For those interested, I’ve attached the links to my project and PRs below — feel free to check them out!

Project that I worked on — **CalcDiverse**

List of my PRs

1. **Fixed the Calculation in GST Calculator**
2. **Added Modulation Calculator**
3. **Added Check Number Option in Armstrong Number Calculator**
4. **Added Density Calculator**
5. **Added Initial Height Option in Projectile Motion Calculator**
6. **Added Partition Number Calculator**

This is not just the end of my KWoC journey, but the start of an exciting adventure in the world of open source.