My Summer Internship with Summer of Bitcoin:

Introduction:

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to be part of Summer of Bitcoin. It was a thrilling journey filled with learning, challenges, and growth, and I'm excited to share my story with you.

Discovering CLNapp and More:

At Summer of Bitcoin, I worked on CLNapp. This app is designed to manage core lightning nodes remotely with all the latest RPC commands. You can receive and send Bitcoin both on-chain and via the lightning network (off-chain).

A Mentor Who Guided Me: Vincenzo Palazzo:

One of the most valuable parts of my internship was having Vincenzo Palazzo as my mentor. Vincenzo patiently guided me through every aspect whether it is simple git rebase or the Lightning Network commands, which is like a special highway for Bitcoin transactions. Whenever I had questions, no matter how small, Vincenzo was there to help me out.

How I Started Contributing: Taking the First Steps in the World of Development:

When I first began my internship at Summer of Bitcoin, the prospect of contributing to real-world projects felt both exciting and daunting. However, my journey started with a simple yet effective strategy that gradually built my confidence in the world of development.

Exploring Pre-SoB Issues: The First Leap:

My mentor, Vincenzo Palazzo, introduced me to a set of issues labeled as "pre-SoB." These issues were intentionally designed to be approachable for newcomers like me. They acted as stepping stones, allowing me to dip my toes into the world of coding and problem-solving without feeling overwhelmed. These initial tasks provided me with a sense of accomplishment as I successfully resolved them one by one.

Building Confidence, One Issue at a Time:

Fixing these "pre-SoB" issues might have been small victories, but they played a significant role in boosting my confidence. As I tackled each issue, I learned how to navigate through the codebase, understand the project's structure, and apply solutions effectively. These small wins showed me that I was capable of making meaningful contributions, setting the stage for more complex challenges ahead.

Embracing the Learning Process:

Contributing wasn't just about solving problems; it was also about learning. Each issue I tackled brought with it a chance to explore new concepts specifically in lightning. Mistakes were growth opportunities, and every piece of feedback from my mentor became a valuable lesson for improvement.

Innovative Add-ons: Plugins like Folgore:

One of the highlights was exploring plugins that Vincenzo Palazzo had created for the Lightning Network, particularly "Folgore and btcli4j". These plugin made using the Lightning Network much easier, even for those who aren't tech experts. It's like finding a hidden gem in the world of Bitcoin.

About my contributions

Lightning Wallet Functionality:

Manage a core lightning node with a modern and easy-to-use application.

Invoice and BTC Address Generation:

CLNapp simplifies the process of generating invoices and Bitcoin addresses for receiving funds. Through a few straightforward steps, users can effortlessly create unique invoices and addresses, enhancing the user experience and facilitating seamless transactions.

All the issues that I worked on are listed here.

Some images :

Future goals

As I write this, I'm working on something exciting – integrating support for the "bkpr-listincome" plugin via the grpc interface for the core lightning project. This plugin is designed to help users keep track of their incoming and outgoing Bitcoin transactions, making it simpler and more organized.

Closing the Chapter: An Unforgettable Experience:

My time at Summer of Bitcoin has been truly transformative. I started as someone who barely knew the basics, and now I'm confident about diving into the complex world of Bitcoin technology. The journey doesn't end here – I'm eager to keep learning and contributing to making a positive impact in the world of Bitcoin.