Have you ever dreamed of contributing to real-world tech projects, collaborating with seasoned developers, and getting paid to write code that matters—all while building your resume?
Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2025 is your golden ticket, and WasmEdge wants YOU to join the journey!
What’s Google Summer of Code?
Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a global, online program that pays you to work on open source projects during your summer break. It’s ideal for students and beginner contributors looking to get involved in the tech community, learn by doing, and make a real impact.
This year, CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) is once again a GSoC mentoring organization, and one of its coolest projects is WasmEdge!
What is WasmEdge?
WasmEdge is a super-fast WebAssembly (WASM) runtime designed for AI/LLM inference, edge computing and cloud-native apps. Think of it like a lightweight, turbo-charged engine that runs code securely and quickly—right where it’s needed, whether that’s on your laptop, a cloud server, or even inside an AI-powered app.
It’s written in Rust and C++, loved by developers, and used in real-world applications across AI, IoT, Cloud application, and blockchain.
WasmEdge GSoC 2025: Project Ideas
WasmEdge has three exciting GSoC projects this year. These are beginner-friendly, well-documented, and mentored by active contributors in the community. 🔗 Check out the full details here
1. Virtual filesystem security for WasmEdge plug-ins with exporting WASI APIs
WebAssembly’s sandboxed environment relies on WASI (WebAssembly System Interface) to enforce filesystem security. However, custom host functions in plugins can bypass these protections. This project focuses on exporting internal WASI APIs within WasmEdge, allowing plugins like WASI-NN (used for AI/ML workloads) to access host filesystems securely. By integrating WASI’s permission checks into plugin workflows, WasmEdge ensures isolation while maintaining flexibility. Developers will benefit from enhanced security without sacrificing performance, and comprehensive test suites will validate the implementation.
- Recommended Skills:
- C++
- WebAssembly
- Expected project size: Large (~350 hour projects)
- Upstream Issue (URL): WasmEdge/WasmEdge#4012
2. Port WasmEdge and the WASI-NN ggml backend to the s390x platform
WasmEdge’s AI/LLM capabilities currently target amd64 and arm64 architectures. To broaden its reach, this project ports WasmEdge and its WASI-NN ggml backend to IBM’s s390x platform. The work involves adapting the runtime’s interpreter and AOT compiler for s390x, ensuring seamless execution of AI models, and rigorous testing. Success here means developers can deploy WasmEdge-powered AI applications on mainframes and hybrid cloud environments effortlessly. A detailed guide will document the compilation, installation, and validation steps, lowering barriers for enterprise adoption.
- Recommended Skills:
- C++
- s390x
- LLVM
- Expected project size: Large (~350 hour projects)
- Upstream Issue (URL): WasmEdge/WasmEdge#4010
3. Use Runwasi with WasmEdge runtime to test multiple WASM apps as cloud services
Integrating WasmEdge into Kubernetes via Runwasi (a runtime abstraction layer) requires robust testing for real-world cloud scenarios. This project designs an end-to-end workflow to validate WasmEdge’s performance in multi-node Kubernetes clusters. The goal is to simulate interactive, scalable applications—such as distributed AI inference—while leveraging WasmEdge plugins. By embedding testing into GitHub workflows and providing clear documentation, the project ensures WasmEdge remains a reliable choice for cloud services, combining WebAssembly’s portability with Kubernetes’ orchestration power.
- Recommended Skills:
- Rust
- C++
- GDB
- git / github workflow
- shell script
- Expected project size: Large (~350 hour projects)
- Upstream Issue (URL): WasmEdge/WasmEdge#4011
How to Apply for GSoC with WasmEdge – Step-by-Step
Even if you’ve never contributed to open source before, don’t worry! Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Learn About GSoC
Start by reading through the GSoC 2025 official website. Understand the program timeline, expectations, and how the stipend works.
GSoC contributor eligibility
- Must be at least 18 years old at time of registration.
- Must be a student or an open source beginner.
- Must be eligible to work in their country of residence during duration of program.
- Must be a resident of a country not currently embargoed by the United States.
Go to the CNCF GSoC 2025 Ideas Page and scroll to the WasmEdge section. Pick one project that excites you!
Step 2: Go register with GSoC
Register to become a contributor https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/get-started
After done, you can browse the 2025 programs under all the participating organizations. WasmEdge’s tasks are under CNCF. You can visit https://github.com/cncf/mentoring/blob/main/programs/summerofcode/2025.md#wasmedge to see the ideas list.
After choosing a task in your interest, click Submit a Proposal. GSoC contributor application deadline: April 8 - 18:00 UTC
Step 3: Submit Your Proposal
Work on your GSoC proposal. Describe the project goals, timeline, and how you plan to contribute. You can find proposal templates and tips here: https://google.github.io/gsocguides/student/writing-a-proposal
Then submit it officially via the GSoC portal during the submission period before April 8, 2025.
Why Choose WasmEdge?
✅ Modern, fast-growing tech (WebAssembly and Rust FTW!)
✅ Supportive mentors and community
✅ Beginner-friendly documentation and codebase
✅ Real impact: your code might end up in production!
Final Thoughts
GSoC is more than just a summer project. It’s the beginning of your journey into open source, global collaboration, and future career opportunities.
If you’re excited about open source and want to work with a cutting-edge WebAssembly runtime that’s changing how applications run, WasmEdge is the perfect place to start.
So take the leap—apply for Google Summer of Code 2025 with WasmEdge!
Got questions or want to share your journey? Drop them in our WasmEdge Discord or #WasmEdge channel in CNCF Slack or tag us on Twitter @secondstateinc @realWasmEdge. We’d love to cheer you on! You’re not alone! The WasmEdge community is beginner-friendly and eager to help you succeed. Join the community making a small introduction of yourself.