How I got into OSPP 2023 with ONLYOFFICE
Tags: webdev, opensource, javascript, node
Published: 2023-08-22 21:06:57

In June this year, I submitted my final draft of the proposal on the OSPP site for the ONLYOFFICE Organisation, and made it in. This was my second attempt at OSPP. The first attempt was for the 2022 program last year in May, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t make in. In this Blog Post, I will take you through the Journey as an ONLYOFFICE Intern, OSPP Participant, how to apply, increase your chances, and much more. 
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<h2>What is OSPP?</h2>
The Open-Source Promotion Plan, abbreviated OSPP, is a China based, Open – Source program, held in the Summers, between the months of May – October. Check the 2023 timeline [here](https://summer-ospp.ac.cn/help/en/timeline/). The registration process is fairly easy, and just consists of verifying your student status and the identity on the [OSPP website](https://summer-ospp.ac.cn/help/en/).
Although OSPP is a China based program and intended for Chinese students, students from any part of the world can apply, just like me. A great example and a similar program to the OSPP is the well-known [Google Summer of Code (GSOC)](https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/). 

After registering, go through all the available projects, listed by different organisations. Some organisations may have a Chinese applicant requirement (one who can communicate in Chinese), so I would recommend a project which has English as their primary or secondary language. 
The project can have either a “Basic” difficulty level, or an “Advanced” difficulty level. The amount of work you will need to do is different for both, and so is the Stipend. 
After you chose your project, you will need to work on a proposal, and submit it before the deadline.
There can be (and most certainly will be) more than one applicant applying to a particular project, so your proposal and resume need to stand out amongst others. You can start early, get in touch with the project mentors, discuss your methodologies and even solve some “good first issues” in the respective organisation’s GitHub Repository, to increase your chances.

<h2>Organisation, Project, Mentors and the Experience</h2>
The project I had applied for was one of the two projects ONLYOFFICE had, <u>Creating an ONLYOFFICE Macro that inserts Baidu Search Results into the Spreadsheet</u>. I put in my proposal almost an hour before the deadline, and luckily made it through. 

<h4>About ONLYOFFICE</h4>
[ONLYOFFICE ](https://www.onlyoffice.com/)is a collaborative office suite for creating, editing, and sharing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. It offers real-time collaboration, integrates with popular platforms, emphasizes security, and can be used in the cloud or self-hosted environments. It's a versatile solution for teams and individuals seeking a comprehensive and customizable office productivity tool. Check out their GitHub [here](https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE).

As soon as the development phase began, we started researching for the required API References. After a lot of research, error logs, and questions, the first prototype of the macro code file was ready, roughly around 2 weeks into the project. If you want to know more about ONLYOFFICE Macros and how they work, you can check them out [here](https://www.onlyoffice.com/app-directory/macros).
A huge thanks and a shoutout to my mentors Mona and Sergei, who believed in me, and kept answering my silly questions until they were cleared. 
As I am writing this blog post, we are currently working on final checks, tests, and enhancing the User Experience, and even working on a more advanced version of the Macro with added functionality.

Once the Project is completed, a Blogpost on the Entire Project, its functionality, documentation, and hands-on tutorial will be published on the ONLYOFFICE website (will link it when it is out). Stay tuned for that if you want to know about the tech and concepts used for development.

<h2>About Me</h2>
I am Eeshaan, a sophomore studying Computer Science in Pune, India. I am fond of Open-Source, Web Development, and Technical Writing. Feel free to give me a follow on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sawanteeshaan) (now X), if my blog was of any use to you. Cheers. 🍻