1. Motivation: GSoC instead of doing anything else?
I am currently in my third year of a B.Tech in Information Technology at ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad (CGPA: 9.87/10), building distributed systems and working extensively with C++ and systems programming. GSoC is the ideal opportunity to combine structured mentorship with a meaningful contribution to a production codebase used by researchers worldwide.
This project resonates with me because improving developer experience can benefit an entire community. When researchers spend time debugging unclear XML errors, it takes away from their actual work. Making preCICE’s error messages clearer—similar to modern compilers—would make the system much easier to use and more welcoming for its users.
This summer I have no major exams or part-time commitments, making it the right time to dedicate focused effort to a well-scoped 90-hour project and deliver something polished and production-ready.
2. Why this organization and this Project?
preCICE is the leading library for multi-physics coupling, and its XML configuration is the primary interface through which users express their simulation setup. When something is misconfigured, the current error messages tell users what went wrong — but not where. There is no file path, no line number, no column offset. A user staring at a 200-line configuration file and a message like “Data ‘Stress’ not defined” has no immediate way to locate the problem.
This project adds exactly what is missing: compiler-style error messages that point directly to the offending line in the configuration file. The analogy to how GCC or Clang reports errors is apt and the right design target. My entry test PR #2467 gave me hands-on experience with how the XML parsing layer works in preCICE and confirmed that this is both tractable and impactful.
The project is also a good fit for my skill set. I work primarily in C++ and JavaScript, I understand XML parsing and source-location tracking, and I have already navigated the preCICE source tree to locate and modify error messages in the configuration layer.
3. Other Commitments During GSoC
I will be entering my fourth year during the GSoC period, and there are no major exams or lab commitments scheduled for the summer. I also don’t have any part-time job during this time. This means I can focus consistently on the project and plan to dedicate around 30–35 hours per week to it over the 12-week period. I intend to treat the project with the same commitment and discipline as a professional engineering role.
4. Relevant Technical Experience
C++ Systems Programming
I regularly use C++ for implementing data structures, algorithms, and small systems utilities. I am comfortable with modern C++ features such as move semantics, smart pointers, templates, and standard library utilities. Since preCICE uses C++17, I am already familiar with the language features used in the codebase.
XML Parsing and Configuration Systems
I have worked with XML in small projects where configuration was defined through XML files. In one project, I wrote a small C++ utility that parses an XML configuration file, extracts required fields, and validates whether mandatory attributes are present. If any required attribute is missing, the program logs a clear configuration error.
Open-Source Workflow
I am comfortable with the GitHub contribution workflow, including creating focused commits, responding to code reviews, and following project guidelines. PR #2467 is my first contribution to preCICE, and it helped me start understanding the codebase and review process.
5. Previous experience with Git and GitHub
I have extensive experience using Git and GitHub for collaborative development. During multiple hackathons and team projects, I worked closely with teammates using branching, pull requests, and code reviews to manage contributions. I am comfortable with the full Git workflow, including resolving merge conflicts, maintaining clean commit histories, and collaborating through issues and PR discussions.
6. Closing
Error messages are often the first thing users see when something goes wrong. Making them clear, precise, and helpful can significantly improve the overall user experience. I’m confident I can deliver this improvement within the 90-hour scope, and my entry task has already helped me gain a good understanding of the codebase.
I look forward to continuing the discussion with @fsimonis and @uekerman , refining the approach based on their feedback, and contributing to making preCICE’s configuration experience smoother for its users this summer.
Thank you for your consideration - Shruti Srivastava.