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[[Image:GSOC_2014.png|300px|left]]
[[Image:GSOC_2014.png|300px|left]]


Welcome to the Joomla! Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2014 project ideas page. As we move forward with the 2013 version of the Joomla! GSoC, we will use this page to develop possible project ideas. Please note that anyone who is interested can participate in this process. You do not have to be a GSoC student or mentor to suggest possible project ideas. Please keep in mind that projects need to be realistically something that is able to be functionally completed by a student working full time for about eight weeks. Thanks!
Welcome to the Joomla! Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2014 project ideas page. As we move forward with the 2014 version of the Joomla! GSoC, we will use this page to develop possible project ideas. Please note that anyone who is interested can participate in this process. You do not have to be a GSoC student or mentor to suggest possible project ideas. Please keep in mind that projects need to be realistically something that is able to be functionally completed by a student working full time for about eight weeks. Thanks!


Discussion of ideas and other GSoC related items is welcome on our Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/joomla-gsoc-2013
For students who want a general overview of Joomla's GSoC, project plans, proposals, and timelines, please [http://docs.joomla.org/GSOC_2014 refer to the GSoC 2014 page].
 
Discussion of ideas and other GSoC related items is welcome on our Google Group: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/joomla-gsoc-2014


If you are interested in participating as a student please review the materials on applying that are available at [http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/document/show/gsoc_program/google/gsoc2013/help_page Google].  We strongly encourage you to ask questions about process and ideas on the mailing list.
If you are interested in participating as a student please review the materials on applying that are available at [http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/document/show/gsoc_program/google/gsoc2013/help_page Google].  We strongly encourage you to ask questions about process and ideas on the mailing list.


If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please fill out the [https://docs.google.com/a/community.joomla.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHA2V1lJbThYQXpwMERiRG1FOTZlV3c6MA Mentor Application Form 2013].
If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please fill out the [https://docs.google.com/a/community.joomla.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHA2V1lJbThYQXpwMERiRG1FOTZlV3c6MA Mentor Application Form 2014].


== Ideas ==
== Ideas ==
Line 16: Line 18:


Unless a mentor has proposed a specific project, mentors from the mentor pool will be matched with student projects. However members of the mentor pool are available to answer questions on the Joomla GSoC mailing list.
Unless a mentor has proposed a specific project, mentors from the mentor pool will be matched with student projects. However members of the mentor pool are available to answer questions on the Joomla GSoC mailing list.
== Important Guidelines on Submitting Ideas ==
There are some important guidelines to submit ideas, please read these carefully before adding your ideas:
* Ensure your idea is able to be completed in a fixed period of time. GSoC runs officially between May 19th 2014 and August 18th 2014. This is a very short period of actual coding time. Ideas should respect the time that students have available for the program.
* Keep ideas realistic. The ideas on this list should maintain a realistic amount of work for a single student, junior level-developer, who is working with a compressed timeline and a fixed completion ('pencils down') date.
* Keep ideas core. The purpose of GSoC is to improve Joomla itself. This is not the time to add ideas for new extensions or features that may not be included by the PLT. If the idea is related to the framework, please consult the framework team directly about new ideas to ensure there is interest in having the package included as an official Joomla Framework package.
* Respect Joomla's Release Cycle. Joomla's release cycle currently states that with Joomla 3.5, we will not add new features to the CMS. This means that most of the GSoC projects this year should ideally improve existing code in a backwards compatible way.
* Joomla 4. Currently there is not a baseline for what Joomla 4 is and what it could be. Ideas centered around Joomla 4 would not fit in well with the goal of GSoC 2014.
* When in doubt, reach out. If you're unsure if your idea belongs on this list, please post to the GSoC 2014 mailing list and ask about the community's interest.
* No documentation-focused projects. Google Summer of ''Code'' is a program about code. We expect our students to document their work, but writing documentation for Joomla as a project does not align with the goals of GSoC.


== Joomla CMS Ideas ==
== Joomla CMS Ideas ==
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* [http://groups.google.com/d/forum/joomla-dev-cms Developer Mailing List]
* [http://groups.google.com/d/forum/joomla-dev-cms Developer Mailing List]


{{dablink|Please add your project ideas here, you can use this '''[[GSOC 2014 Project Ideas/template|GSOC 2014 Project template]]'''}}
{{tip|Please add your CMS project ideas below. You can use the '''[[GSOC 2014 Project Ideas/template|GSOC 2014 Project template]]'''.|title=Adding Project Ideas}}


===Project: Build New Media Manager for CMS 3===
===Project: Refactor CMS to use Dependency Injection ===


:'''Brief Explanation:''' The current media manager is outdated and limited. Build a new media manager to include a better user interface, more robust functionality, and seamless integration for extensions to use. The improvements could include:
:'''Brief explanation:''' The CMS currently has many hard-coded JPATH constants and a JFactory for developers to get certain global objects from the application. This project would develop a way to depreciate the current system which is difficult to test and is tightly coupled. The project will replace the JPATH constants with the Joomla Framework Dependency Injection package, allowing for a looser coupling of the application's core components.  
* Storage of media information in the database (including standard file property information, created by user and date, rights and other meta data and tracking of media as assets).
* Allow renaming of files
* Automated creation of thumbnails to dimensions that the webmaster can configure
* Support for a variety of media types that addresses security concerns
* Creation of a number of controllers for media manipulation such as cropping, resizing and filtering and implementation of their use.
* Use of nesting for management and display of media options
* Management of both local and remote media
* Support for creation of collections of media for example for display in a carousel as a separate content type.


:'''Expected Results:''' A new Media Manager component to improve the usability, functionality, and reusability of the extension. Work should be fully documented and include system tests as well as unit tests for all new classes.
For more info see:  
* [https://github.com/joomla/joomla-framework/tree/staging/src/Joomla/DI Joomla Framework DI Package]
* [https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms/blob/staging/includes/defines.php Joomla CMS Constants]


: The work will likely include creation of a new media management package in the CMS library as well as reusable controllers for media related tasks.
:'''Expected Results:'''
* Deprecate the current JPATH constants allowing for replacement with Joomla DI
* Refactor core components and to use new DI container
* Write documentation for developers to update their extensions to use Joomla DI


: The work should align with other work in the content model and the student should expect to interact extensively with the team working on the Joomla 3.2 release.  
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), Understanding of Dependency Injection and Dependency Injection Containers.  


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:'''  PHP, MySQL, Javascript, Joomla CMS, Joomla Platform, HTML5, Usability


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium


===Project: Convert JavaScript from MooTools to jQuery===
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Brief explanation:''' Version 3 of the CMS introduced [http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap Twitter Bootstrap] and [http://jquery.com jQuery] to the core code base.  Previous versions of the CMS had been using MooTools as the preferred JavaScript library.  Currently, both JavaScript libraries are shipped and used within the CMS, which occasionally causes conflicts with a user's JavaScript functionality.  The CMS would like to reduce the dependency on MooTools by converting its core JavaScript behaviors from MooTools to jQuery or providing custom solutions.
===Project: Webdriver system tests for CMS===


:'''Expected Results:''' Dependency on MooTools is reduced within the CMS.
:'''Brief explanation:''' Automated system tests allow us to test the CMS by automatically running Joomla from a browser, selecting menu options, and evaluating results. At present, several number of [https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms/tree/staging/tests/system system tests] are currently completed using the Selenium Webdriver technology and using the Page Objects pattern to separate the page objects from the test objects. This project will build on the current base of Webdriver tests and expand the test coverage to include more of the CMS.


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Joomla CMS, PHP, JavaScript
For more info see:  
* http://docs.joomla.org/System_Testing
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mmg32lg4nA


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
:'''Expected Results:'''  
* finish the administrator parts not yet tested
* add front end testing:
** menu items
** modules


===Project: html contenteditable Ajax based front-end editor for articles, categories, tags and other content===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), HTML
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Allow seamless ajax-driven content-editing in the fronted of existing content.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' Authors with ACL permissions should be able to directly edit all content (content, weblinks, contacts, newsfeeds and categories as well as any new types that are added in the future) from the front-end. Administrators should be able to configure front end editing for appropriate users to have access to the full set of fields available in the back end in the front end (rather than the limited set of fields now available).  All this should be done using Ajax.  This project should focus on editing data from the core_content table and will involve work with the team implementing the migration to core_content.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' A good knowledge of Joomla, of jQuery and Ajax techniques would help a lot here.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


===Project: front-end editor for modules and menus===
:'''Possible mentors:''' Puneet Kala, Mark Dexter and Javier Gómez


:'''Brief explanation:''' Allow seamless ajax-driven content-editing in the fronted of existing content and allowing to insert new modules.
=== Project: Collection of Mini Projects ===


:'''Expected Results:''' Authors with ACL permissions should be able to directly edit modules (titles and content/settings, and inserting new modules including menus the front-end. There are a number of possible approaches this could take. For example, they could possibly use the administration interface in the front-end, otherwise with links to the corresponding administration page. This would at least allow to remove the guesswork of which module outputs what result. Using an open-source html-contenteditable javascript editor would help here in the formatting.  Another possibility would be to use a services model.
:'''Brief explanation:''' The CMS currently could due with several smaller tasks and projects to help move the software forward and improve its usability and feature set. This project is a *collection* of several smaller projects and improvements. The tasks involved are discrete but they must all be accomplished to a high degree of quality in detail to be considered successful.  


Note: There will be some overlap here with the potential com_services project so project could be incorporated into that project or there could be coordination of the two projects.
===== Decouple Core Extensions =====
:''' Description''' In the current version of the CMS, some extensions rely on one another for functionality. The ultimate goal is for each extension to be completely independent so that it could be removed without breaking the functionality of another.


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' A good knowledge of Joomla, of jQuery and Ajax techniques would help a lot here.
===== Add Menu Type ACL =====
:''' Description ''' Currently in the CMS there is no way to have backend based ACL rules per menu-type. This project should add advanced ACL rules and configurability to Joomla's core menu types. Adding, deleting, and editing menus on a per-menu group basis should be available on a per-group basis.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
===== JError to Exceptions =====
:''' Description ''' Currently Joomla uses the JError class to handle error management - however there is a desire to move this across to use exceptions for Joomla 4.0 and remove the JError class.


===Project: Update and add new editor plugins===
:'''Expected Results:''' This project must address and complete each of the above described mini-projects. Proposals should detail each item in detail and outline a timeline for completing them.


:'''Brief explanation:''' Joomla has a system of editor_xtd plugins that allow users to safely insert correct html for common items such as images, page breaks, and links to articles independent of the editor used.  This project will involve updating and adding new plugins and improving usabilty.  For example in terms of new plugins might include:
===== Implementing Frontend Menu Editing =====
* A plugin that adds modal behaviour (JHTML::_('behavior.modal');). The plugin can be deactivated by a {}tag (like {modal state=0}).
:''' Description ''' Currently frontend menu editing icon redirects user to backend. But actually frontend menu editing should be able to done at the frontend.Implementation would be much similar to the already implemented frontend configuration & frontend template style editing.
* A plugin that allows safe embedding of external web services such as video or maps.


Updating plugins would include generalizing the article plugin to work across all content types using the core_content table.
:'''Expected Results:''' Frontend logged authorized users should be able to edit menu items via frontend. Student should have to figure-out what should be in frontend editor and relevant access control levels.


Here is an example of how a plan for a modal plugin would look:


*Background: A link with the attribute 'class="modal"' is opened in a kind of lightbox. Thus easily galleries can be generated. Additionally prepare editor(s) (e. g. via editor.css in template folder) to offer the modal class in their link edit display.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:'''  General knowledge of Joomla 3's core feature set and functionality.  


*Expected Results: The modal behaviour is always available - if plugin is published and it is not forbidden by a tag. And a link with class 'modal' can easily be generated - via button and/or via editor.
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
Note that this may not be the ideal way to provide this functionality, it could be that the existing articles plugin is modified to allow a link type of modal for example. Thus this project would involve a careful review of existing plugins.


:'''Expected Results:''' New plugins for a number of useful items, updates to older plugins and improved user interface for the buttons.
=== Project: Develop dependency manager ===


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, HTML, Javascript
:'''Brief explanation:''' Distributions are one of the next possible evolutionary steps for the CMS. One key challenge to solve is the management of dependencies that extensions/packages may have.


:'''Difficulty:''' Easy/Medium
:'''Expected Results:''' A working proof of concept that manages the handling of dependencies as well as define requirements that extensions/packages must meet for their dependencies to be managed by this system.


===Project: Add plugin 'mvc override'===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' 


:'''Brief explanation:''' Generate a plugin that enables the developer to overwrite models and controllers.  
:'''Difficulty:''' Very challenging, but highly rewarding.


:'''Expected Results:''' Any model and controller can be overridden.
=== Project: Update Core Extensions to use New MVC ===


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Joomla! CMS, PHP
:'''Brief explanation:''' The Joomla Framework has brought us a new MVC architecture that we would like to start using for core components. This project will chose a few core components as a conversion goal to migrate them to run on the new MVC structure.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
:'''Expected Results:''' Selected core components will run on the new MVC architecture. This will involve changing the component to run the new controller based architecture, and potentially develop a standardized set of methods that are used across multiple extensions. Reducing code repeats and encouraging reuse will be an important aspect of this project.


===Project: Hathor is beautiful===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' 


:'''Brief explanation:''' Make the admin template 'Hathor' more beautiful. Hathor is Isis' little sister. While Isis is breathtaking, Hathor still lacks a little css: She's edgy, and pale, and boring. Yet she always does what she is told. She deserves being tended a little. No additional functionality needed, no html changes, just css beauty.
:'''Difficulty:''' Challenging, high learning curve and will set precedent for other extensions. This is a opportunity for innovation, not a project to simply copy other parts code into a new feature.


: Note that for Google Summer of Code here must be substantial coding involved in the project. In the case of Hathor this would likely involve work on making Bootstrap Javascript meet accessibility standards and work on the core administrator layouts.
:'''Potential Mentors:''' Soren Beck Jensen as he runs the http://www.Component-Creator.com and Buddhima Wijeweera as he worked on a similar project for GSoC 2013 http://magazine.joomla.org/issues/issue-nov-2013/item/1580-new-mvc-for-joomla-cms


:'''Expected Results:''' Hathor is beautiful.
===Project: SQL Optimization===


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Javascript, CSS, HTML, PHP
:'''Brief explanation:''' The goal of this project is to optimize site performances, between the potential areas where  performance bottleneck resides in a conventional n-tier website architecture, we'll focus our effort on database side, optimizing slow sql queries.


:'''Difficulty:''' Easy
:'''Expected Results:''' After analyzing and measuring the site performance (on some test case ie small, medium, big) will be taken the necessary action using the proper techniques to improve measurably the slower queries.


===Project: Accesssible Backend Template===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' SQL, DBMS


:'''Brief explanation:''' For most people, the internet has become the norm. Information from around the world is freely available.  But not all people are benefitting from it, especially those with  disabilities. For those who find it difficult to participate fully in social life, much can be gained from communication technology.  But they often face barriers which make it difficult to access information and applications. Take "looking for a job" as an example. The computer gives people with disabilities excellent prospects in overcoming limitations to find employment. Wouldn't it be nice if they  had full access to the Joomla backend?  New career opportunties would be opened up. If the requirements of accessibility are carefully met, it would make the system easier to understand and easier to use for all users.
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Potential mentors:''' Nicola Galgano


: We already, have an accessible backend Joomla template, but it is not very attractive and it is not using all the new technical possibilities.
===Project: JIssues tracker===
: For this reason we are looking for someone who will use Bootstrap to build (with our support):


: - an attractive, accessible design with good user guidance (layout & colors, contrast)
:'''Brief explanation:''' The goal of this project is to finish the JIssues tracker so it is in a position to replace the current Joomla tracker.


: - a meaningful semantic structure based on web standards
:'''Expected Results:''' The JIssues tracker will be at a place where a transition can take place from Joomla Code to the issues tracker. This will involve working with the JIssues (http://issues.joomla.org/) and working through the issue list (https://github.com/joomla/jissues) as well as contributing any relevant code back into the Framework Project


: Some preliminary steps have been made to get you started, but this remains a very complex endeavor.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Joomla Framework, JoomlaCode, Joomla Bug Tracking Process


:'''Expected Results:''' Accessible admin template
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' WAI-ARIA, Javascript, CSS, HTML, PHP
:'''Posible mentors:''' Michael Babker
<!-- copy everything above this line -->


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium-Hard
<!-- PASTE the copied code on the main Project Ideas Page under the appropriated project type. -->


: Posible mentors: Angie Radtke
<noinclude>[[Category:Google Summer of Code 2014]]</noinclude>


===Project: Refactor document model containers===
===Project: Component for managing predefined emails ===


:'''Brief explanation:''' When I say document model containers, what I'm really talking about is all those arrays in the document model that store things like metas, scripts, css, etc. Those can be rendered collectively in the template using the jdoc head tag. The project would refactor the document model to allow more robust methods of working with document containers. One solution would be to use PHP ArrayObjects instead of simple arrays.
:'''Brief explanation:''' Many Joomla! extensions send confirmation mails to users. It will be great if Joomla! provides a powerful component, which will be used for creating predefined emails. The component has to provide classes, which will be used from developers for loading, parsing and sending those e-mails.


:'''Expected Results:''' A robust solution should allow methods for appending and prepending items, method chaining, and the ability to create custom containers from within extensions and templates.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
* Administration interface that will provide an easy way for creating and managing predefined emails.
* Classes that will be used for loading, parsing and sending those emails.


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Joomla! CMS, PHP, some html, some css, and some javascript.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS.  


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''References:'''
:'''Possible mentors:''' Todor Iliev, Daniel Dimitrov
:* Joomla! Forums topic: [[jtopic:793482|The ArrayObject - a different approach to document containers]]
:: (the editor would not allow me to post the link)


===Project: Add new "fancy"  fieldtypes such as an 'oclock'  field===
===Project: Inline editing directly on any page ===


:'''Brief explanation:''' Joomla!'s form generation offers a fix group of field types, such as text, textarea, radio, calendar etc. Write a group of new, javascript/AJAX fields that will provide fancier field types for the cms. For example write another field that enables the developer to create a time field, call it 'oclock' or something else sensible. The display of the time should be configurable via a format attribute. It should have the look'n'feel of the calendar field ([[Calendar form field type|Calendar form field type]])  Another project would be to create a built in way to use AJAX to create new fields  such as  a field type that lets you enter multiple items, creating a new field each time an old one is submitted.
:'''Brief explanation:''' The aim of this project is to add in the possibility of editing any page in Joomla using an inline editing tool. It would make articles editing easier, being able to do that without going to the admin interface. The proposed editor is Froala Editor(in inline mode) and it must interact with the media manager and use language support. The final result should be similar to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YE8ISXkLXM].


:'''Expected Results:''' Generation of a new set of advanced fields
:'''Useful links:'''  
* [http://editor.froala.com Froala Editor]
* [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/joomla-dev-cms/giQzWj7fIj8 Discussion about it on CMS list] - please ignore the long comments about the license. It will be sorted out.


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, HTML, Javascript, web standards, Bootstrap
:'''Expected Results:'''  
* Edit articles in Joomla CMS directly from the page without going to admin interface.
* Have an API for interacting with Froala Editor.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), Javascript.


===Project: Task scheduler and manager===
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Brief explanation:''' Manage ,schedule and create tasks, from CMS administrator side, such as backup, virus scan, billing, reports, emailing and so on
:'''Mentors:''' Stefan Neculai, Diana Neculai


:'''Expected Results:''': The student will be expected to build an hosting agnostic solution that act as a framework to manage task, allowing to manage tasks from third party extensions too, and some ready to run common task
===Project: FrontEnd Components-Management and User-Management ===


:'''References:'''
:'''Brief explanation:''' The aim of this project is to enable frontend logged authorized uses to manage component options and users. This was a idea when redesigning Joomla! and currently is in the CMS Roadmap. During last year global configuration and template configuration got a frontend configuration. Continuing that further there are 2 possible new frontend configurations:
:* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batch_processing
* Frontend management for components
:* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheduling_(computing)
* Frontend user management
:* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron
:* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webcron
:* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(computing)
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform-examples/blob/master/cli/cron-plugins/run.php


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''': PHP, Joomla CMS, Joomla Platform, Mysql, Operating Systems.
Since Joomla! CMS is moving towards Unified Site Administration, this project will play a key role there.
:'''Difficulty:''' Hard
:'''Possible Mentors:''' Nicola Galgano


===Project: Improvements to Template Manager for CMS 3===
:'''Useful links:'''
* [http://docs.joomla.org/Help32:Menus_Menu_Item_Display_Site_Configuration Site Configuration Frontend]
* [http://docs.joomla.org/Help32:Menus_Menu_Item_Display_Template_Options Template Options Frontend]
* [https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/joomla-dev-cms/BqlSCKcGB8E Discussion in dev-mailing-list]


:'''Brief explanation:''' Templates are one of the most important elements of the Joomla CMS but except for the addition of template styles and template copy the functionality of the template manager has not changed dramatically since 1.5.  Currently users must go outside of the template manager to add CSS, to add or modify override files or to manage their LESS. This project will make working with templates easier and more user friendly.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
 
* Frontend logged authorize users can configure components via frontend
:'''Expected Results:''' By the end of the summer the student will produce fully documented and system tested code to do at least the following tasks in the template manager user interface:
* Frontend logged authorize users can manage users via frontend
:* See a list of overrides for a template
:* Edit the overrides for a template
:* Create a new override for a template (ideally with option to copy the core layout as a starting point)
:* Add a new CSS file to a template
:* Edit LESS file
:* Compile LESS
:* Upload images to a template's image
:* Provide a method of simple interaction with web based font and other providers.
Exact details to be developed in discussion with mentors.
 
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Familiarity with the Joomla CMS and templates, PHP, file management, usability, javascript
 
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium


=== Project: Remote web services management system for CMS 3===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Joomla CMS Components, MVC.
:'''Brief explanation:''' Integration with remote services is a central feature of the modern web. This Joomla CMS should provide ways for webmasters to seamlessly and easily manage their interactions withe external service providers. 
:'''Expected Results:''' A system for managing interactions with external services. This would include but not be limited to:
:* Secure management of public and private keys using Keychain
:* Storage of relevant urls
:* Methods to safely manage embedding by front end users
:* Plugins for Google, Twitter and Facebook authentication


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Javascript, Joomla CMS, Web Servics
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


===Project: Redesign Users Profiles as a Form of Content for CMS 3===
===Project: Enhancing User Profiles===


:'''Brief explanation:''' Build a new way to manage and display user profiles as a content type stored in the core content table with a combination of systems including both he current profile plugin system and new ways of approaching this including the use of the core fields for body, images, urls and xreference. At the same time improve integration with contact data providing the ability to easily search and sort and send email as well as to have complex layouts and integration of web services.  
:'''Brief explanation:''' The aim of this project is to enhance the existing user profiles by allowing to interact with social media. This will create the basic infrastructure for include social media profiles, and cms developers to profile services. Also this will use existing libraries in joomla and provide a flexible way to incorporate profile services.


:'''Expected Results:''' A front end user profile system that provides a flexible way to create and manage use profiles. This system will follow Joomla design patterns and be fully documented, have unit tests for any classes, and have system tests.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
* cms libraries for profile services (including a local version)
* Managing keys for profile services
* Top-level configuration (for webmasters) on which services are allowed to use
* Enable individual users to specify which Profile service desire to use (select one from allowed ones)
* Modernize frontend com_contact appearance


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Javascript, usability, familiarity with the Joomla CMS.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Joomla! Extensions Development, Understanding on Joomla! libararies (JFacebook, JLinkedin, JGoogle etc.), OAuth, Experience as a Joomla!CMS user.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


===Project: Create com_services for front end website administration for CMS 3===
===Project: Improve Media Handling In Joomla! ===


:'''Brief explanation:''' The user experience for beginning site administrators in particular but also all site administrators will be improved if they can carry out basic administrative tasks such as updating the site title, meta data and email address, clearing cache, setting component defaults and doing basic user management in the front end. In this project you will provide a RESTful service and front end interface to that service to allow this. Specific tasks to be implemented will be decided in discussion with the mentors.  
:'''Brief explanation:''' The aim of this project is to add media (video & audio) handling capabilities into Joomla, with the help of external services. At the completion of the project, any interested Joomla extension should be able to handle media related things across this libraries.
Currently it is proposed to use YouTube and Vimeo for video handling, and SoundCloud for audio. But students are encourage for a better solution.


:'''Expected Results:''' A basic services based system for managing certain administrative tasks from the front end of the Joomla CMS. This will be fully documented, have automated tests, and follow Joomla development best practices. It will also be extensible so that additional tasks can be added over time.  This project will not involve content, only administrative tasks.
:'''Useful links:'''  
* [https://developers.google.com/youtube/getting_started YouTube API]
* [http://developer.vimeo.com/ Vimeo API]
* [http://developers.soundcloud.com/ SoundCloud API]
This could take similar approach as JFacebook, JLinkedin and JGoogle. Student expected to come-up with a good plan on how to incorporate new libraries with Joomla! CMS.


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Javascript, web services, security practices, Joomla CMS and framework.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
 
* Libraries for YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud with tests.
:'''Difficulty:'''  Hard
* Library for CMS to handle Media and access above mentioned libraries with tests.
 
* Libraries should provide video modification
===Project: Webdriver system tests for CMS ===
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Automated system tests allow us to test the CMS by automatically running Joomla from a browser, selecting menu options, and evaluating results. At present, most of the system tests are written using the now-outdated Selenium RC program. A small number of tests are currently completed using the newer Selenium Webdriver technology and using the [https://code.google.com/p/selenium/wiki/PageObjects Page Objects] pattern to separate the page objects from the test objects. This project will build on the current base of Webdriver tests and expand the test coverage to include more of the CMS.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' The student will complete the following tasks.
:# Create a strategy & roadmap for Joomla system tests. This will include things like:
:## How to organize the tests.
:## How to cover the critical back-end and front-end functionality of Joomla.
:# Write the reusable foundation classes for the expanded test coverage. These classes will be used to create the page object classes and test classes for the various portions of the CMS.
:# Begin the implementation of the roadmap.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), HTML
 
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
 
:'''Possible Mentors:''' Mark Dexter
 
===Project: Create a '''translating tool''' extension for Joomla ===
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Projects like Facebook (see [http://www.insidefacebook.com/2008/04/02/now-you-can-help-translate-facebook-into-any-language/ insidefacebook.com/...]), RememberTheMilk ([http://www.rememberthemilk.com/services/translate/ http://www.rememberthemilk.com/...]) or other projects using [https://www.transifex.com] are taking advantage of their communities in order to  localize their software. Joomla is being translated by its community into 64 languages but there is plenty of space for more languages and more community participation.
At the same time many Joomla 3rd party developers are searching for a solution on how their communities can contribute in the translation of their extensions.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' It is a Goal for this GSoC 2013 project to create an improved tool based in [http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/languages/language-edition/17755 com_localise] that allows to translators to easily translate and upload their translations to a GitHub repository using [http://developer.joomla.org/manual/chap-Joomla_Platform_Manual-Github.html JGithub package]. The tool also should allow frontend community members to suggest translated strings just like Facebook or Rememerthemilk does.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Git/Github, Joomla CMS and framework.
 
:'''Difficulty:'''  Medium-Hard
 
:'''Posible mentors:'''  Javier Gómez, Jean Marie Simonet, Edvard Ananyan
 
===Project: Module Modernization===
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Modules are an important part of the CMS but many of the modules have not been updated in many years and do not take advantage of new features like JImage or JQuery, JLayouts, or PHP 5. In addition aspects of module handling such as loadposition/loadmodule and the handling of modules in templates are due for refactoring and improvement as is the user interface of com_modules. This project will work on bringing modules up to date with the rest of the CMS.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' Updated modules and module handling. Although subject to discussion with mentors, some likely areas are:
*Review all modules and bring up to PHP 5.4 standards.
*Incorporate JImage into modules as appropriate for example embedding the introtext image in articles modules.
*Incorporate or add new modules incorporating JQuery features such as image carousels.
*Add new modules for obviously missing features such as display of contact information.
*Develop the use of JLayouts in modules for standardization.
*Update the handling of loadposition.
*Work on handling modules as content and treating them as assets (i.e. providing module level access control).
*Work on a way to create basic configurable module default settings for items such as show title or class suffix.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, SQL, Joomla CMS
 
:'''Difficulty:''' Easy to Medium
 
:'''Possible mentors:''' Elin Waring


===Project: Smart Search Improvements===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, Understanding on existing Joomla CMS libraries, Knowledge on mentioned APIs, Joomla! development experience.


:'''Brief explanation:''' Smart Search is an advanced search system for the Joomla CMS. While extremely powerful, it does has some limitations that we would like to address.  First, it does always not properly handle some multibyte character sets and languages that do not use spaces between words. While partial solutions have been implemented, we would like to have more generic solutions. Also we would like to have a smart search interface in the Joomla Administrator and with the move to the core content model, to have better ties between smart search and other parts of the code base as well as extensions (how about an automated way to create a smart search plugin?). Finally, we would like to see some ongoing issues addressed including time out problems in the CLI application and modernization of queries and code to take advantage of newer databases and PHP versions as well as more parts of the Joomla API.
:'''Expected Results:''' A much improved Smart Search shipped as part of Joomla CMS 3.2.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, SQL, search principles, Joomla platform, Smart Search. 
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Potential Mentors:''' Jonathan Cameron


===Project: Extending Tags In Joomla! ===


===Project: Module Assignment to Components and Views===
:'''Brief explanation:''' The introduction of Tags is a key thing Joomla 3.x series. That helped a lot to easily keep track of different contents and ease the searching. But still there are drawbacks in following areas.
* Misspelled tags
* Short form of words in tags
* Abbreviations in tags
* US, UK spelling differences
Because of the above reasons, it’ll have higher chance of missing things when number of tags keep growing. Therefore, though this student is expected to introduce a new section for com_tags, which can accommodate re-tagging process.


:'''Brief explanation:''' You will give more power to the modules by developing functionality for their assignment to components and views. You should add a new tab "Components Assignment" on the Module Manager. It should display all components and theirs views, that will be selected as location where the module will be displayed. It has to be something like "Menu Assignment". What you should do?
:'''Useful links:'''  
* Add a new table in the database for component assignment. It could be "#__modules_component" with columns "moduleid", "component" and "view".
* [http://docs.joomla.org/J3.2:How_To_Use_Content_Tags_in_Joomla! Using Tags in Joomla]
* Rework the way in which the modules are loaded and rendered.
* [http://stackoverflow.com/tags/synonyms Stackoverflow Tag synonyms]
* Implement the new functionality to classes that are used for loading and rendering modules (JDocumentHTML, JModuleHelper,...).  


:'''Expected Results:''' The modules will be able to be assigned to components and views.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
# Webmaster should be able to specify connection between tags through com_tags
# Underlying re-tagging process
# Manage a system for permanently mapping tags that were merged to the preferred tag


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, SQL, JavaScript, Joomla CMS
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, object-oriented programming, experience as a Joomla CMS developer and a user


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Possible mentors:'''


== Joomla Framework ==
== Joomla Framework ==
{{dablink|Please add your project ideas here, you can use this '''[[GSOC 2013 Project template]]'''}}


The Joomla Framework allows for ideas that can work within the Joomla CMS, or could be completely separate applications that have no connection at all. The Joomla Framework allows for applications to be built for the command line, process daemons and the web. The follow list outlines some ideas that will be immediately useful for the Joomla Platform project that a student may consider taking on. In addition to PHP libraries, the Joomla Platform also ships with MooTools and project ideas can be related to client-side operations as well as server-side. One emphasis on this year's list is on the incorporation of packages for accessing web services, however other ideas for libraries and packages are welcome. In some instances multiple students may work on different aspects of the project.  Two examples of this are unit testing and JStemmer.
The Joomla Framework project ideas allows for ideas that can work within the Joomla CMS, or could be completely separate applications that have no connection at all. The Joomla Framework allows for applications to be built for the command line, process daemons and the web.  


References:
References:
Line 325: Line 275:
All code contributions must follow Joomla coding standards and include full unit test coverage.
All code contributions must follow Joomla coding standards and include full unit test coverage.


===Project: Platform Unit Testing===
{{tip|Please add your Framework project ideas below. You can use the '''[[GSOC 2014 Project Ideas/template|GSOC 2014 Project template]]'''.|title=Adding Project Ideas}}


:'''Brief explanation:''' The Joomla Platform has a good suite of automated Unit Tests, but code coverage is lacking in some areas. The goal of this project is to improve the code coverage by writing unit tests for the Joomla Platform.
===Project: Framework Unit Testing===


:'''Expected Results:''' The student will be expected to review the current [http://developer.joomla.org/coverage/ code coverage report] for the Joomla Platform and write and agreed-upon number of unit tests with particular attention to packages that are below 50% coverage. Preference should be given to non-deprecated classes but the student may choose from either the core tree (/libraries/joomla) or the legacy tree (/libraries/legacy).
:'''Brief explanation:''' The Joomla Framework has a good suite of automated Unit Tests, but code coverage is lacking in some areas. The goal of this project is to improve the code coverage by writing unit tests for the Joomla Framework.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' The student will be expected to review the current [http://developer.joomla.org/framework-coverage/ code coverage report] for the Joomla Framework and write and agreed-upon number of unit tests with particular attention to packages that are below 50% coverage. Preference should be given to non-deprecated classes but the student may choose from either the core tree (/libraries/joomla) or the legacy tree (/libraries/legacy).


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, PHPUnit
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, PHPUnit
Line 335: Line 287:
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium


===Project: Improve Filesystem classes===


===Project: Object Relational Mapping (ORM) in Joomla===
:'''Brief explanation:''' Replace static methods with public ones of classes File, Folder, Path. Let these things to be used as object with theirs methods and properties. Develop classes, which will be used as adapters, for some fundamental actions performed on those file system elements. The adapters should be for uploading, deleting, reading,...
 
:'''Explanation:''' Implementation of Object Relational Mapping to provide an exiting new basis for building (complex) applications on or within Joomla.
 
:Joomla uses an Active Record implementation. Via JTable and JTableNested data are CRUDded in models to and from database tables. Tables for different content types share the same kind of data and therefore code is duplicated. There are plans to solve this with a Unified Content Model (UCM), which will use a shared table for all content and a specialised table per content type. In order to implement that a JData class was made to store data in and a JDataMapper to map the database tables to the data. In terms of Martin Fowler's Patterns of Enterprise Architecture Patterns: Class Table Inheritance. This UCM would be a replacement for the current JTable classes and components.
 
:Object Relational Mapping, especially when one-to-many and many-to-many relations are in play, has already been worked out in the PHP-world with ORM-frameworks like Propel and Doctrine. No need to reinvent a complete new wheel. Some work has been done to use Doctrine ORM in Joomla extensions, but it could be made more generally usable and easily available to open a lot of possibilities.  


:'''Expected Results:'''  
:'''Expected Results:'''  
:The focus for such a GSOC-project could be one of the following:
* A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for the file system classes.
:* a more general ORM interface in which specific ORM packages could fit; be it a "native" JDataMapper or other 3rd party ORM packages.
* Adapters for managing files on some of the most popular cloud services - Amazon S3, Google App Engine,...
:* or a specific implementation (like Doctrine) with which core CMS extensions could be refactored. This would be a UCM-implementation using an existing ORM package.
* Classes for validating files size, images,...
:Both the Joomla Platform/Framework and the CMS would benefit from such projects.


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Object Relational Mapping theory.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' GitHub, PHPUnit, PHP, OOP, Design Patterns, familiarity with web services and Joomla! Framework.
 
:'''References:'''
:* http://martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/ and http://www.martinfowler.com/books/eaa.html
:* http://docs.doctrine-project.org/projects/doctrine-orm/en/latest/index.html
:* https://github.com/eBaySF/joomla-platform/blob/data-package/docs/manual/en-US/chapters/packages/data.md#jdatamapper


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Possible Mentors:''' Herman Peeren
===Project: Improve Date classes===


===Project: Expand Google API coverage===
:'''Brief explanation:''' Develop classes and methods that will give more power to developers working with dates.


:'''Brief explanation:''' The JGoogle package provides a basic structure for using Google APIs in Joomla based code. However it only includes classes for a limited set of APIs.  Your task is to dramatically expand the coverage of Google data. Specific APIs to be agreed upon with mentors, with some preference for those of immediate usefulness to the Joomla CMS.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
 
* Methods that calculate dates for yesterday, begin of week, end of week, begin of month, end of month, begin of year, end of year,...
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for a range of Google data.
* Methods that calculate time for begin of day, end of day,...
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Github, PHPUnit, familiarity with web services and the Joomla CMS.
 
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium


===Project: Add NoSQL and mongoDB support to the framework===
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' GitHub, PHPUnit, PHP, OOP, Design Patterns, familiarity Joomla! Framework.
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Add in a NoSQL abstract layer and use it for the mongoDB driver. You should keep in mind that the layer might be further extended with other NoSQL databases so it's important to make it as generic as possible.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for the NoSQL abstract layer and mongoDB driver.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Github, PHPUnit, familiarity with mongoDB and the Joomla Framework.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard


:'''Possible Mentors:''' Stefan Neculai
===Project: Composer GUI installer ===


===Project: Amazon RDS package===
:'''Brief explanation:''' Creating an installer from the GUI with Composer. Both the Joomla Framework and the CMS are working towards extension packages that can be installed via Composer. A great advantage of Composer is that it handles all dependencies in the background. A disadvantage is, that - until now - Composer is used via the Command Line Interface. The goal of this GSOC project is to create an installer that uses Composer, but entirely from the GUI website administrator.


:'''Brief explanation:''' Create a package for Amazon that handles the main Amazon API requests (authentication, signing requests) and create a wrapper over the AMAZON RDS API. You might find it useful the JGoogle, JFacebook and JGithub packages that interact with APIs.  
This project is now put under "Joomla Framework" but there is much interest for it in the Joomla CMS and also in other PHP-projects.  


:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for Amazon RDS API.
For more info see:  
* https://github.com/joomla-cms/start-here/issues/11
* https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/joomla-dev-cms/nqdyyMKoDcE
* https://github.com/joomla-cms/start-here/issues/14
* https://github.com/joomlatools/joomla-composer
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hinv__2spBc
* http://magazine.joomla.org/issues/issue-aug-2013/item/1450-getting-started-with-composer-and-joomla


:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Github, PHPUnit, familiarity with web services and the Joomla Framework.
:'''Expected Results:'''  
 
* A Composer based extension-installer in the Joomla CMS GUI, that can also be used on shared hosts with limited permissions to use a CLI.
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
* The basis for this installer as a package in the Joomla Framework, that can be used by other PHP projects.  
 
:'''References:'''
:* http://aws.amazon.com/documentation/rds/
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform/tree/staging/libraries/joomla/facebook
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform/tree/staging/libraries/joomla/github
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform/tree/staging/libraries/joomla/google
 
:'''Possible Mentors:''' Stefan Neculai
 
===Project: Rackspace Database package===
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Create a package for Rackspace that handles the main Rackspace API requests (authentication, signing requests) and create a wrapper over the Racksapce Database API. You might find it useful the JGoogle, JFacebook and JGithub packages that interact with APIs.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for Rackspace Database API.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Github, PHPUnit, familiarity with web services and the Joomla Framework.
 
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium


:'''References:'''
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' PHP, understanding of the use of Composer, understanding of Joomla's extension installer and "Install from Web" (formerly known as the " Joomla App Store"), knowledge of plans to split up Joomla in (composable) subprojects.  
:* http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/databases/
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform/tree/staging/libraries/joomla/facebook
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform/tree/staging/libraries/joomla/github
:* https://github.com/joomla/joomla-platform/tree/staging/libraries/joomla/google
 
:'''Possible Mentors:''' Stefan Neculai
 
===Project: Add MariaDB support to the framework===
 
:'''Brief explanation:''' Add MariaDB driver and classes that provide easy operation with its store engines - OQGRAPH, SphinxSE, Cassandra. You should add GRAPH and "Full-Text search" abstract layers. Some of the classes will extend NoSQL layer that was mentioned above; others would extend the GRAPH and the "Full-Text search" abstract layers.
 
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested, documented implementations for GRAPH and "Full-Text search" abstract layers, documented implementations for MariaDB driver.
 
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' GitHub, PHPUnit, familiarity with MariaDB, familiarity with Graph Theory and the Joomla Framework.


:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Possible Mentors:'''
===Project: Add Validators package===
:'''Brief explanation:''' Add set of classes that will be used for input validation. You have to add Validator abstract layer. The validator classes will extend this layer. You have to implement chains-of-command pattern because objects should be able to be used with this design pattern. It should look like Zend Framework Validators.
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested, documented implementations for Validators.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' GitHub, PHPUnit, familiarity with web application security principles, familiarity with design patterns and the Joomla Framework.
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium
:'''References:'''
:* https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/os-php-designptrns/#N101DE
:* http://framework.zend.com/manual/2.1/en/modules/zend.validator.html
:* http://framework.zend.com/manual/2.1/en/modules/zend.validator.validator-chains.html
:* https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Data_Validation
:* http://phpsecurity.readthedocs.org/en/latest/Input-Validation.html
:* https://www.owasp.org/index.php/PHP_Security_Cheat_Sheet
:* http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/library/os-php-secure-apps/
:'''Possible Mentors:'''
===Project: Cloud Storage===
:'''Brief explanation:''' Add support for cloud storage backends into the Filesystem package. Molajo offered a new Filesystem package for the Framework and your task is to create cloud adapters for it. The proposed APIs are Amazon S3, Dropbox, Google Cloud Storage and Rackspace Cloudfiles, however the implemented APIs should be agreed upon with the mentors.
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for the cloud storage APIs.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' Github, PHPUnit, familiarity with web services and the Joomla Framework.
:'''References:'''
:* https://github.com/Molajo/Standard/tree/master/Vendor/Molajo/Filesystem
:* https://github.com/Molajo/Standard/blob/master/Vendor/Molajo/Filesystem/README.md#what-is-filesystem
:* http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/API/APIRest.html
:* https://www.dropbox.com/developers/core/api
:* https://developers.google.com/storage/docs/developer-guide
:* http://docs.rackspace.com/files/api/v1/cf-devguide/content/Overview-d1e70.html
:'''Difficulty:''' Medium to Hard
:'''Possible Mentors:''' Diana Neculai (Prajescu)
===Project: Improve Form Fields===
:'''Brief explanation:''' You have to add many of the newest HTML5 elements and input types. You have to add some of the most used HTML5 attributes to the form elements (form, input, textarea,...). If there are attributes, which are not supported in HTML5, you should remove them.
:'''Expected Results:''' A set of well coded, fully unit tested, documented implementations about the form fields.
:'''Knowledge Prerequisite:''' GitHub, PHPUnit, familiarity with HTML5 and front-end development. familiarity with the Joomla Framework.
:'''Difficulty:''' Easy to Medium
:'''References:'''
:* http://www.w3schools.com/tags/default.asp
:* http://www.html5rocks.com/en/tutorials/forms/html5forms/
:* http://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_form_elements.asp
:* http://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_form_input_types.asp
:* http://diveintohtml5.info/forms.html
:'''Possible Mentors:'''


[[Category:Google Summer of Code 2014]]
[[Category:Google Summer of Code 2014]]

Latest revision as of 16:15, 11 February 2015

Welcome to the Joomla! Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2014 project ideas page. As we move forward with the 2014 version of the Joomla! GSoC, we will use this page to develop possible project ideas. Please note that anyone who is interested can participate in this process. You do not have to be a GSoC student or mentor to suggest possible project ideas. Please keep in mind that projects need to be realistically something that is able to be functionally completed by a student working full time for about eight weeks. Thanks!

For students who want a general overview of Joomla's GSoC, project plans, proposals, and timelines, please refer to the GSoC 2014 page.

Discussion of ideas and other GSoC related items is welcome on our Google Group: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/joomla-gsoc-2014

If you are interested in participating as a student please review the materials on applying that are available at Google. We strongly encourage you to ask questions about process and ideas on the mailing list.

If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please fill out the Mentor Application Form 2014.

Ideas

Opportunities exist for students to work with projects from either the Joomla CMS, the Joomla Framework or in some cases a combination of both.

In addition to this ideas list, the Joomla! Community is able to voice their opinion on features they would like to see via the Joomla! Idea Pool. Those wishing to add ideas to this listing are encouraged to review the Idea Pool and base their idea on the input received there. You can also view the past lists for 2013, 2012, 2010 and 2009, which may be useful for reference. We ask that you keep ideas realistic for the time frame that students will have to complete their projects.

Unless a mentor has proposed a specific project, mentors from the mentor pool will be matched with student projects. However members of the mentor pool are available to answer questions on the Joomla GSoC mailing list.

Important Guidelines on Submitting Ideas

There are some important guidelines to submit ideas, please read these carefully before adding your ideas:

  • Ensure your idea is able to be completed in a fixed period of time. GSoC runs officially between May 19th 2014 and August 18th 2014. This is a very short period of actual coding time. Ideas should respect the time that students have available for the program.
  • Keep ideas realistic. The ideas on this list should maintain a realistic amount of work for a single student, junior level-developer, who is working with a compressed timeline and a fixed completion ('pencils down') date.
  • Keep ideas core. The purpose of GSoC is to improve Joomla itself. This is not the time to add ideas for new extensions or features that may not be included by the PLT. If the idea is related to the framework, please consult the framework team directly about new ideas to ensure there is interest in having the package included as an official Joomla Framework package.
  • Respect Joomla's Release Cycle. Joomla's release cycle currently states that with Joomla 3.5, we will not add new features to the CMS. This means that most of the GSoC projects this year should ideally improve existing code in a backwards compatible way.
  • Joomla 4. Currently there is not a baseline for what Joomla 4 is and what it could be. Ideas centered around Joomla 4 would not fit in well with the goal of GSoC 2014.
  • When in doubt, reach out. If you're unsure if your idea belongs on this list, please post to the GSoC 2014 mailing list and ask about the community's interest.
  • No documentation-focused projects. Google Summer of Code is a program about code. We expect our students to document their work, but writing documentation for Joomla as a project does not align with the goals of GSoC.

Joomla CMS Ideas

Adding Project Ideas

Please add your CMS project ideas below. You can use the GSOC 2014 Project template.

Project: Refactor CMS to use Dependency Injection

Brief explanation: The CMS currently has many hard-coded JPATH constants and a JFactory for developers to get certain global objects from the application. This project would develop a way to depreciate the current system which is difficult to test and is tightly coupled. The project will replace the JPATH constants with the Joomla Framework Dependency Injection package, allowing for a looser coupling of the application's core components.

For more info see:

Expected Results:
  • Deprecate the current JPATH constants allowing for replacement with Joomla DI
  • Refactor core components and to use new DI container
  • Write documentation for developers to update their extensions to use Joomla DI
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), Understanding of Dependency Injection and Dependency Injection Containers.


Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Project: Webdriver system tests for CMS

Brief explanation: Automated system tests allow us to test the CMS by automatically running Joomla from a browser, selecting menu options, and evaluating results. At present, several number of system tests are currently completed using the Selenium Webdriver technology and using the Page Objects pattern to separate the page objects from the test objects. This project will build on the current base of Webdriver tests and expand the test coverage to include more of the CMS.

For more info see:

Expected Results:
  • finish the administrator parts not yet tested
  • add front end testing:
    • menu items
    • modules
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), HTML
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Possible mentors: Puneet Kala, Mark Dexter and Javier Gómez

Project: Collection of Mini Projects

Brief explanation: The CMS currently could due with several smaller tasks and projects to help move the software forward and improve its usability and feature set. This project is a *collection* of several smaller projects and improvements. The tasks involved are discrete but they must all be accomplished to a high degree of quality in detail to be considered successful.
Decouple Core Extensions
Description In the current version of the CMS, some extensions rely on one another for functionality. The ultimate goal is for each extension to be completely independent so that it could be removed without breaking the functionality of another.
Add Menu Type ACL
Description Currently in the CMS there is no way to have backend based ACL rules per menu-type. This project should add advanced ACL rules and configurability to Joomla's core menu types. Adding, deleting, and editing menus on a per-menu group basis should be available on a per-group basis.
JError to Exceptions
Description Currently Joomla uses the JError class to handle error management - however there is a desire to move this across to use exceptions for Joomla 4.0 and remove the JError class.
Expected Results: This project must address and complete each of the above described mini-projects. Proposals should detail each item in detail and outline a timeline for completing them.
Implementing Frontend Menu Editing
Description Currently frontend menu editing icon redirects user to backend. But actually frontend menu editing should be able to done at the frontend.Implementation would be much similar to the already implemented frontend configuration & frontend template style editing.
Expected Results: Frontend logged authorized users should be able to edit menu items via frontend. Student should have to figure-out what should be in frontend editor and relevant access control levels.


Knowledge Prerequisite: General knowledge of Joomla 3's core feature set and functionality.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Project: Develop dependency manager

Brief explanation: Distributions are one of the next possible evolutionary steps for the CMS. One key challenge to solve is the management of dependencies that extensions/packages may have.
Expected Results: A working proof of concept that manages the handling of dependencies as well as define requirements that extensions/packages must meet for their dependencies to be managed by this system.
Knowledge Prerequisite:
Difficulty: Very challenging, but highly rewarding.

Project: Update Core Extensions to use New MVC

Brief explanation: The Joomla Framework has brought us a new MVC architecture that we would like to start using for core components. This project will chose a few core components as a conversion goal to migrate them to run on the new MVC structure.
Expected Results: Selected core components will run on the new MVC architecture. This will involve changing the component to run the new controller based architecture, and potentially develop a standardized set of methods that are used across multiple extensions. Reducing code repeats and encouraging reuse will be an important aspect of this project.
Knowledge Prerequisite:
Difficulty: Challenging, high learning curve and will set precedent for other extensions. This is a opportunity for innovation, not a project to simply copy other parts code into a new feature.
Potential Mentors: Soren Beck Jensen as he runs the http://www.Component-Creator.com and Buddhima Wijeweera as he worked on a similar project for GSoC 2013 http://magazine.joomla.org/issues/issue-nov-2013/item/1580-new-mvc-for-joomla-cms

Project: SQL Optimization

Brief explanation: The goal of this project is to optimize site performances, between the potential areas where performance bottleneck resides in a conventional n-tier website architecture, we'll focus our effort on database side, optimizing slow sql queries.
Expected Results: After analyzing and measuring the site performance (on some test case ie small, medium, big) will be taken the necessary action using the proper techniques to improve measurably the slower queries.
Knowledge Prerequisite: SQL, DBMS
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Potential mentors: Nicola Galgano

Project: JIssues tracker

Brief explanation: The goal of this project is to finish the JIssues tracker so it is in a position to replace the current Joomla tracker.
Expected Results: The JIssues tracker will be at a place where a transition can take place from Joomla Code to the issues tracker. This will involve working with the JIssues (http://issues.joomla.org/) and working through the issue list (https://github.com/joomla/jissues) as well as contributing any relevant code back into the Framework Project
Knowledge Prerequisite: Joomla Framework, JoomlaCode, Joomla Bug Tracking Process
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Posible mentors: Michael Babker

Project: Component for managing predefined emails

Brief explanation: Many Joomla! extensions send confirmation mails to users. It will be great if Joomla! provides a powerful component, which will be used for creating predefined emails. The component has to provide classes, which will be used from developers for loading, parsing and sending those e-mails.
Expected Results:
  • Administration interface that will provide an easy way for creating and managing predefined emails.
  • Classes that will be used for loading, parsing and sending those emails.
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Possible mentors: Todor Iliev, Daniel Dimitrov

Project: Inline editing directly on any page

Brief explanation: The aim of this project is to add in the possibility of editing any page in Joomla using an inline editing tool. It would make articles editing easier, being able to do that without going to the admin interface. The proposed editor is Froala Editor(in inline mode) and it must interact with the media manager and use language support. The final result should be similar to [1].
Useful links:
Expected Results:
  • Edit articles in Joomla CMS directly from the page without going to admin interface.
  • Have an API for interacting with Froala Editor.
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, object-oriented programming, Joomla CMS (from a user point of view), Javascript.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Mentors: Stefan Neculai, Diana Neculai

Project: FrontEnd Components-Management and User-Management

Brief explanation: The aim of this project is to enable frontend logged authorized uses to manage component options and users. This was a idea when redesigning Joomla! and currently is in the CMS Roadmap. During last year global configuration and template configuration got a frontend configuration. Continuing that further there are 2 possible new frontend configurations:
  • Frontend management for components
  • Frontend user management

Since Joomla! CMS is moving towards Unified Site Administration, this project will play a key role there.

Useful links:
Expected Results:
  • Frontend logged authorize users can configure components via frontend
  • Frontend logged authorize users can manage users via frontend
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, Joomla CMS Components, MVC.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Project: Enhancing User Profiles

Brief explanation: The aim of this project is to enhance the existing user profiles by allowing to interact with social media. This will create the basic infrastructure for include social media profiles, and cms developers to profile services. Also this will use existing libraries in joomla and provide a flexible way to incorporate profile services.
Expected Results:
  • cms libraries for profile services (including a local version)
  • Managing keys for profile services
  • Top-level configuration (for webmasters) on which services are allowed to use
  • Enable individual users to specify which Profile service desire to use (select one from allowed ones)
  • Modernize frontend com_contact appearance
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, Joomla! Extensions Development, Understanding on Joomla! libararies (JFacebook, JLinkedin, JGoogle etc.), OAuth, Experience as a Joomla!CMS user.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Project: Improve Media Handling In Joomla!

Brief explanation: The aim of this project is to add media (video & audio) handling capabilities into Joomla, with the help of external services. At the completion of the project, any interested Joomla extension should be able to handle media related things across this libraries.

Currently it is proposed to use YouTube and Vimeo for video handling, and SoundCloud for audio. But students are encourage for a better solution.

Useful links:

This could take similar approach as JFacebook, JLinkedin and JGoogle. Student expected to come-up with a good plan on how to incorporate new libraries with Joomla! CMS.

Expected Results:
  • Libraries for YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud with tests.
  • Library for CMS to handle Media and access above mentioned libraries with tests.
  • Libraries should provide video modification
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, Understanding on existing Joomla CMS libraries, Knowledge on mentioned APIs, Joomla! development experience.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Potential Mentors: Jonathan Cameron

Project: Extending Tags In Joomla!

Brief explanation: The introduction of Tags is a key thing Joomla 3.x series. That helped a lot to easily keep track of different contents and ease the searching. But still there are drawbacks in following areas.
  • Misspelled tags
  • Short form of words in tags
  • Abbreviations in tags
  • US, UK spelling differences

Because of the above reasons, it’ll have higher chance of missing things when number of tags keep growing. Therefore, though this student is expected to introduce a new section for com_tags, which can accommodate re-tagging process.

Useful links:
Expected Results:
  1. Webmaster should be able to specify connection between tags through com_tags
  2. Underlying re-tagging process
  3. Manage a system for permanently mapping tags that were merged to the preferred tag
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, object-oriented programming, experience as a Joomla CMS developer and a user
Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Joomla Framework

The Joomla Framework project ideas allows for ideas that can work within the Joomla CMS, or could be completely separate applications that have no connection at all. The Joomla Framework allows for applications to be built for the command line, process daemons and the web.

References:

All code contributions must follow Joomla coding standards and include full unit test coverage.

Adding Project Ideas

Please add your Framework project ideas below. You can use the GSOC 2014 Project template.

Project: Framework Unit Testing

Brief explanation: The Joomla Framework has a good suite of automated Unit Tests, but code coverage is lacking in some areas. The goal of this project is to improve the code coverage by writing unit tests for the Joomla Framework.
Expected Results: The student will be expected to review the current code coverage report for the Joomla Framework and write and agreed-upon number of unit tests with particular attention to packages that are below 50% coverage. Preference should be given to non-deprecated classes but the student may choose from either the core tree (/libraries/joomla) or the legacy tree (/libraries/legacy).
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, PHPUnit
Difficulty: Medium

Project: Improve Filesystem classes

Brief explanation: Replace static methods with public ones of classes File, Folder, Path. Let these things to be used as object with theirs methods and properties. Develop classes, which will be used as adapters, for some fundamental actions performed on those file system elements. The adapters should be for uploading, deleting, reading,...
Expected Results:
  • A set of well coded, fully unit tested and documented implementations for the file system classes.
  • Adapters for managing files on some of the most popular cloud services - Amazon S3, Google App Engine,...
  • Classes for validating files size, images,...
Knowledge Prerequisite: GitHub, PHPUnit, PHP, OOP, Design Patterns, familiarity with web services and Joomla! Framework.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Project: Improve Date classes

Brief explanation: Develop classes and methods that will give more power to developers working with dates.
Expected Results:
  • Methods that calculate dates for yesterday, begin of week, end of week, begin of month, end of month, begin of year, end of year,...
  • Methods that calculate time for begin of day, end of day,...
Knowledge Prerequisite: GitHub, PHPUnit, PHP, OOP, Design Patterns, familiarity Joomla! Framework.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Project: Composer GUI installer

Brief explanation: Creating an installer from the GUI with Composer. Both the Joomla Framework and the CMS are working towards extension packages that can be installed via Composer. A great advantage of Composer is that it handles all dependencies in the background. A disadvantage is, that - until now - Composer is used via the Command Line Interface. The goal of this GSOC project is to create an installer that uses Composer, but entirely from the GUI website administrator.

This project is now put under "Joomla Framework" but there is much interest for it in the Joomla CMS and also in other PHP-projects.

For more info see:

Expected Results:
  • A Composer based extension-installer in the Joomla CMS GUI, that can also be used on shared hosts with limited permissions to use a CLI.
  • The basis for this installer as a package in the Joomla Framework, that can be used by other PHP projects.
Knowledge Prerequisite: PHP, understanding of the use of Composer, understanding of Joomla's extension installer and "Install from Web" (formerly known as the " Joomla App Store"), knowledge of plans to split up Joomla in (composable) subprojects.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
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