New contributor interested in MDAnalysis (GSoC 2026)

[vaishnavi10200]

Hello everyone,
My name is Vaishnavi Saudagar, and I am a 3rd year Computer Engineering student with experience in Python, NumPy, and writing tested Python code.
I am interested in MDAnalysis because of its focus on molecular dynamics analysis and its clean, well-documented Python API. I have been exploring the documentation and codebase, particularly the analysis and trajectory handling components (e.g., improving test coverage or clarifying existing docs).
I am currently setting up the development environment locally and reviewing beginner-friendly issues. I plan to start with documentation or testing-related contributions to become familiar with the codebase.
I look forward to learning from the community and contributing meaningfully. If there are any suitable starter issues, I would appreciate pointers.

Best regards,
Vaishnavi Saudagar

[thakkardhruvi205]

Hi everyone,

I’m Dhruvi, a B.Sc. Data Science student with experience in Python and data analysis. I’ve recently started exploring MDAnalysis and have been going through the documentation and contributor guidelines to understand the codebase.

I’m currently setting up the development environment locally and would like to begin with beginner-friendly issues, especially related to documentation, tests, or small analysis components.

If there are any recommended starter issues or areas where new contributors can be most helpful, I’d appreciate any guidance.

Looking forward to learning and contributing.

Best regards,
Dhruvi

[orbeckst]

Please see the GSOC 2026 FAQ.