J-b: GSoD 2020

2020-04-22T10:14:52Z

GSoD 2020

New page

This page summarize the current list of ideas for VideoLAN project, for [https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs/ Google Season of Docs 2020].

The list is not exhaustive, and is not limitative. Feel free to apply with '''your own idea!'''

== Introduction & Information ==
[[File:Asterix VLC.svg|frameless|right]]

This wiki page covers the attempt by the [[VideoLAN]] project to act as a mentoring organization for [https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs/ Google Season of Docs 2020] in order to improve the [[VLC]] documentation.

=== Season of Docs ===

[https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs/ Google Season of Docs] is a way for '''technical writers''' to have a paid '''stipden''' by '''Google''' to work on open source projects and improve their documentation.

[[VLC]] is in very big need of documentation, both for developers and end-users, and we're in the progress of revamping all that.

'''GSoD''' is run by the same people running the ''Google Summer of Code'' program.

[[VideoLAN]] was a ''Google Summer of Code'' mentoring organization in [[SoC 2007|2007]], [[SoC 2008|2008]], [[SoC 2009|2009]], [[SoC 2010|2010]], [[SoC 2011|2011]], [[SoC 2013|2013]], [[SoC 2016|2016]], [[SoC_2017|2017]], [[SoC_2018|2018]], [[SoC_2019|2019]] and [[SoC_2020|2020]]. And GSoD in 2019.

This page list some documentation ideas for both VLC and VLC mobile ports, developer and user-facing documentations.

=== VLC ===

{{VLC}} is a cross-platform multimedia player, encoder and streamer application. It is one of the most successful open-source projects without any professional structure underneath.

{{VLC}} is downloaded at an approximate monthly rate of 28 millions from the main website and that's not including third-party distributions (Linux)!

You can find more information on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLC_media_player VLC on Wikipedia] or on this [[Main Page|wiki]].

The documentation of VLC is mostly for end-users using VLC.

=== libVLC ===

The engine of VLC is '''libVLC'''.

It can be used to do 3rd party applications, media players, or other type of multimedia application.

Its API is documented but is far from being simple to understand. It should be improved.

== How to Start ==
=== Find an idea ===
First, you need to find an idea.

This current page gives you a list of ideas. Those ideas are '''NOT exhaustive''': you can bring your own idea! Some of the best ideas we've ever had were '''custom''' ideas!

=== Submit your idea ===
You need to submit your idea on the ''Google Season of Doc'' platform.

You should do so, quite quickly, so that we can give you early feedback to improve your submission.

=== Let's get in touch ===

If you have a doubt, are not sure about anything or want clarification, please get in touch with us.

We have 3 major communication channels: Our [https://mailman.videolan.org/mailman/listinfo mailing-lists] to discuss patches and further development related topics. Furthermore, we have our [http://forum.videolan.org web forums] for VLC-related end-user support. Finally, there is our IRC channel ''#videolan'' (for libVLC) '' on the ''Freenode'' network. It's open to any kind of discussion. Usage issues, questions how to compile VLC, getting to know the fellow developers, etc.

All our mentors will be on the IRC channel, which is quite active, so it will be easy to find the right person in no time.

== Ideas ==

=== Continue the Modernization of the VLC user documentation ===

'''Project description''':

The new {{VLC}} user [[Documentation:Documentation/|documentation]] was done during GSoD_2019. We need to go further.

'''Tasks to do''':

* Finish the remaining parts
* Fix the small errors in the documentation
* Prepare for 4.0 release
* Prepare options and module documentation, so that developers can help filling them in
* Prepare for translations

'''Requirements''': Goodwill and love for your users.

'''Proposed mentor''': J-b, Simon, Alex

=== Create the VLC user documentation for one mobile port (Android or iOS) ===

'''Project description''':

While the {{VLC}} user [[Documentation:Documentation/|documentation]] for desktop is outdated, the mobile versions are almost not documented at all.

This requires a complete new project, with screenshots and a new architecture for the documentation, either for iOS or Android devices.

All options are open, but it would be nice to fit the desktop documentation, and maybe see some convergence.

This idea is actually 2 ideas, one for '''Android''', one for '''iOS'''.

'''Tasks to do''':

* Help us structure the documentation (chapters separation, add things, etc...)
* Write the documentation to fit mobile versions of VLC
* Screenshot from mobile version
* Converge with the desktop documentation, if possible.

'''Requirements''': Goodwill and love for your users. ''also, either an iOS or an Android device''

'''Proposed mentor''': Alex, Geoffrey, J-b (Android), Soomin, Caro, Felix (iOS)

=== Improve libVLC developer documentation ===

'''Project description''':

[[libVLC]] is the engine of VLC and can be used by 3rd party application for documentation. It is the core of our technologies, and is used a lot.

Currently the libVLC API is precisely documented, for each API call; but it is lacking a higher level document on how to use it, with samples and examples, and how to use that for other development languages (C, C++, C#, Java, Obj-C, etc..).

It is also missing some introduction on the capabilities of the engine.

Therefore, libVLC can be hard to use, when you are starting a project, and this is quite damaging for the developers using libVLC.

'''Tasks to do''':

* Understand the usage of libVLC on the different platforms and its capabilities;
* Write high-level documentation of the different libVLC classes;
* Write samples that matches those classes;
* Prepare to get cross-language samples in the documentation, a bit like MSDN;
* Write introductions to libVLC usage.

'''Proposed mentor''': Thomas, J-b, Hugo

=== Improve VLCKit (libVLC binding for macOS) documentation ===

'''Project description''':

Currently the [[VLCKit]] code base is documented but some part is now outdated and needs to be updated.

Indeed, it will be beneficial for VLCKit to have and overview of it's current documentation and update it if needed.

'''Tasks to do''':

* Understand the usage of VLCKit on the different platforms (iOS, macOS)
* Study exposed VLCKit methods
* Check current documentation if outdated
* Add documentation necessary
* Update the documentation rendering method(maybe something else than Doxygen?)

'''Requirements''': This project is easier with '''Objective-C''' knowledge.

'''Proposed mentor''': Carola Nitz, Felix Paul Kühne, Soomin Lee

[[Category:Mentorings]]

GSoD 2020 - Revision history

J-b: GSoD 2020