[jira] [Created] (GSOC-325) Author and Publish New Practical Guides for Apache Grails

["James Fredley (Jira)" <ji...@apache.org>]

James Fredley created GSOC-325:
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             Summary: Author and Publish New Practical Guides for Apache Grails
                 Key: GSOC-325
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/GSOC-325
             Project: Comdev GSOC
          Issue Type: New Feature
            Reporter: James Fredley


Author and Publish New Practical Guides for Apache Grails on [https://guides.grails.org|https://guides.grails.org/] (will be moved to grails.apache.org soon)
h2. Background

The Grails Guides provide step-by-step, hands-on tutorials with accompanying GitHub repositories containing initial and complete project states. They cover core topics GORM, testing, security, frontend integrations (Vue.js, React, Angular), Micronaut features, deployment (AWS, Google Cloud, GitHub Actions), and more.

Existing guides are strong in foundational and some advanced areas but have gaps in:
 * Modern frontend setups
 * Broader cloud deployment
 * Current DevOps practices
 * Popular plugins/ecosystem updates

Creating 5-10 high-quality, up-to-date guides would directly enhance this key learning resource, making Grails more approachable and demonstrating current best practices without requiring core framework changes.
h2. Project Goals
 # *Research & Plan Topics:* Select 5-10 high-impact guide topics based on community needs (user list discussions, Slack feedback, gaps identified).
 # *Develop Guides:* For each:
 ** Build a complete, runnable Grails application example.
 ** Create initial and complete GitHub repos following the standard template.
 ** Write a clear, step-by-step Markdown guide with code snippets, explanations, and best-practice rationale.
 # *Test & Polish:* Ensure guides work with the latest stable Grails (e.g., 7.x or 8.x series), include tests where relevant, and follow accessibility/Asciidoc formatting standards.
 # *Submit & Integrate:* Open PRs to publish guides update any related docs or grails.org links.
 # *Optional Stretch Goals:* Add video walkthroughs (if comfortable), create a "What's New in Recent Guides" summary blog post, or contribute minor improvements to existing guides.

*Suggested Guide Topics (prioritize with mentor input):*
 * Building Modern Full-Stack Apps with Grails + React/Vite (or Vue/Vite) – Update/extend older profiles with current tooling.
 * Securing Grails APIs with JWT + OAuth2 (modern patterns, perhaps using Micronaut Security).
 * Deploying Grails Apps to the cloud
 * Advanced CI/CD
 * Performance Tuning
 * Using HTMX + Grails for Interactive UIs without Heavy Frontend Frameworks.

h2. Deliverables
 * 5-10 new published guides on [https://guides.grails.org|https://guides.grails.org/] (each with its own GitHub repo under grails-guides).
 * Corresponding initial and complete source code repositories.
 * Well-structured Markdown/Asciidoc content with clear sections, screenshots/code blocks, and "Try it Yourself" instructions.
 * PRs reviewed and merged by mentors/community.
 * A short summary report or blog draft for the Grails blog announcing the new guides.
 * Documentation updates if needed (e.g., category additions on the guides index page).

*Quantifiable Results for the Apache Community:*
 * Fresh, relevant content that attracts and retains new developers.
 * Reduced support burden on mailing lists/Slack by pointing users to modern tutorials.
 * Evergreen educational assets maintained by the community.

h2. Proposed Timeline (12-week program)
 * *Community Bonding (May 2026):* Join Grails Slack/mailing list, review existing guides, discuss topic priorities with mentors, fork/clone template repo, set up local build.
 * *Weeks 1–2:* Finalize 3–5 topics, create initial repos, outline guide structures.
 * *Weeks 3–6:* Implement and document first 2–3 guides (focus on core features, testing).
 * *Weeks 7–9:* Complete remaining guides, add polish (screenshots, edge-case notes), self-review for clarity.
 * *Weeks 10–11:* Submit PRs for review, incorporate feedback, test on latest Grails version.
 * *Week 12:* Final merges, any last tweaks, prepare announcement draft, evaluations.

h2. Required Skills
 * Solid understanding of Grails (create-app, domains, controllers, services, GSP/JSON views).
 * Experience with Groovy/Java and web basics (REST, security concepts).
 * Good technical writing (clear, concise explanations).
 * Git/GitHub proficiency (branching, PRs).
 * Nice-to-have: Familiarity with Asciidoc/Markdown, frontend tools (Vite, npm), or deployment platforms.

h2. Why This Project?

This is a high-reward contribution that directly improves one of Grails' most visible learning resources. It's flexible, scope can adjust based on progress, and allows the student to master Grails while helping others. Similar documentation-focused GSoC projects have succeeded in many Apache projects.

If Grails is accepted for GSoC 2026, this would be an excellent intermediate project. Interested students should contact the Grails dev mailing list or Slack early to discuss topics and secure a mentor. The community welcomes fresh guides to keep the framework vibrant!

 
*Difficulty:* Medium
*Project size:* ~350 hour (large)
*Potential mentors:*
_James Fredley_



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