Hey everyone! It’s Divine Attah-Ohiemi here, and I’m excited to share what I’ve been up to in my internship with the Debian community. It’s been a month since I began this journey, and if you’re thinking about applying for Outreachy, let me give you a glimpse into my project and the amazing people I get to work with.
So, what’s it like in the Debian community? It’s a fantastic mix of folks from all walks of life—seasoned developers, curious newbies, and everyone in between. What really stands out is how welcoming everyone is. I’m especially thankful to my mentors, Thomas Lange, Carsten Schoenert, and Subin Siby, for their guidance and for always clocking in whenever I have questions. It feels like a big family where you can share your ideas and learn from each other. The commitment to diversity and merit is palpable, making it a great place for anyone eager to jump in and contribute.
Now, onto the project! We’re working on improving the Debian website by switching from WML (Web Meta Language) to Hugo, a modern static site generator. This change doesn’t just make the site faster; it significantly reduces the time it takes to build compared to WML. Plus, it makes it way easier for non-developers to contribute and add pages since the content is built from Markdown files. It’s all about enhancing the experience for both new and existing users.
My role involves developing a proof of concept for this transition. I’m migrating existing pages while ensuring that old links still work, so users won’t run into dead ends. It’s a bit of a juggling act, but knowing that my work is helping to make Debian more accessible is incredibly rewarding.
What gets me most excited is the chance to contribute to a project that’s been around for over 20 years! It’s an honor to be part of something so significant and to help shape its future. How cool is it to know that what I’m doing will impact users around the globe?
In the past month, I’ve learned a bunch of new things. For instance, I’ve been diving into Apache's mod_rewrite to automatically map old multilingual URLs to new ones. This is important since Hugo handles localization differently than WML. I’ve also been figuring out how to set up 301 redirects to prevent dead links, which is crucial for a smooth user experience.
One of the more confusing parts has been using GNU Make to manage Perl scripts for dynamic pages. It’s a bit of a learning curve, but I’m tackling it head-on. Each challenge is a chance to grow, and I’m here for it!
If you’re considering applying to the Debian community through Outreachy, I say go for it! There’s so much to learn and experience, and you’ll be welcomed with open arms. Happy coding, everyone! 🌟
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