It feels a little surreal to write this, my Outreachy internship has come to an end.
When I started this journey, I wasn’t sure if I belonged. Open source always felt like this big, intimidating world where you had to be an expert to contribute. I was worried I’d mess things up, or that my contributions wouldn’t really matter. But Outreachy gave me the push I needed. And now, a few months later, I look back and see just how far I’ve come, not only in my skills but also in how I see myself as a developer.
What I Built
My project was Cat-a-lot JavaScript Gadget Development for Wikimedia Commons. Cat-a-lot helps users quickly categorise files in bulk, and I got to make it better. Some of the things I worked on included:
- Creating a integrated version of cat-a-lot with another tool called QuickCategories, to handle large scale edits more reliably.
- Adding localisation support so users around the world can use it in their own language.
- Extending it to support JSON Data namespace pages.
- Fixing bugs with settings and self categorisation so the tool behaves more reliably.
- Writing developer documentation and even creating a Pywikibot automation script to help future contributors set up the tool easily on beta commons.
- Exploring a Codex-based UI migration, experimenting with how the gadget could evolve into a modern Vue.js-based interface.
The proudest moment for me was when my contributions were merged into the official Cat-a-lot codebase and now the tool bears my name. That was the moment it really sank in that I had made a lasting mark on a project used by the Wikimedia community.
The People Who Made It Special
More than the code, what I’ll remember most are the people. I gained many new acquaintances in the Wikimedia community, and honestly, they are the loveliest bunch of people. Kind, welcoming, always ready to help. They made me feel like I belonged here from day one.
As for my mentor, Zache, where do I even begin? Instead of just giving me all the answers, they nudged me in the right direction, encouraging me to learn by exploring. They also introduced me to the wider Wikimedia world, even suggesting I attend Wikimania remotely. That experience gave me a glimpse of the global scale of this movement and made me realize how meaningful even small contributions can be. I didn’t just gain a mentor, I gained someone who believed in me and gently pushed me toward growth. That’s a gift I’ll carry forward.
How I’ve Grown
Yes, I learned a lot technically:
- MediaWiki API, JavaScript, and Pywikibot scripting
- Vue.js and Codex experiments
- Debugging legacy tools and writing maintainable code
- Documenting my learnings
But the bigger growth was personal. I learned not to let fear stop me. I learned to ask questions without shame. I learned that contributing to open source isn’t about being perfect, it’s about showing up, collaborating, and improving little by little.
Most importantly, I started to see myself not as “someone trying to break into open source” but as a part of the open source world.
A Goodbye (But Not Really a Goodbye)
I didn’t expect to get emotionally attached to Wikimedia, but here we are. After months of working closely with the community, seeing my work live, and making friends along the way, this feels less like the end of an internship and more like the start of a journey.
I want to keep contributing to Wikimedia for a long time. It’s become more than just a project to me, it’s something I feel connected to on a deeper level. This is not goodbye. This is a milestone, a marker along the path I hope to keep walking for years to come.
What’s Next
Outreachy may be ending, but my journey is not. I definitely want to keep contributing to Wikimedia because it holds a special place in my heart now but I also want to keep my touch with open source in general. There’s a unique sense of fulfillment in building something that’s open, shared, and helpful to people all around the world.
At the same time, professionally I want to pivot towards AI-related projects, especially those that create real impact. I believe AI can be a powerful tool for solving meaningful problems, and I want to be part of shaping that future.
This internship showed me that I don’t have to choose between passion and profession. I can keep one foot in open source while also chasing ambitious goals in AI. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.
💌 If you’ve ever thought about applying to Outreachy but felt hesitant, here’s what I wish someone had told me: you belong more than you think.
Until next time,
Adiba ☺️
