At a Glance: Neha Naithani
- Involved in open source since: 2019
- Works for: Edgeworx
- Eclipse Foundation contributor since: 2019
- Involved in: Eclipse IoT
- Committer to: Eclipse ioFog
- Eclipse Foundation committer since: 2019
- Fun fact: An avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, Neha started learning to swim before the pandemic hit; it’s still a work in progress!
How did you first get involved in the open source community?
I got involved in August 2019 when I joined Edgeworx. By then I had been a developer for six years but had mostly worked on enterprise projects. I’d had few chances to work in open source, but I always wanted to get more hands-on in edge computing, so joining Edgeworx was a dream come true. There I got real-world experience operating a large Edge Compute Network as a developer. I’ve been really enjoying that work and learning from my fellow developers. Every day is a new challenge and an opportunity to learn.
How did that involvement lead to you becoming a contributor to the Eclipse Foundation?
Eclipse ioFog was actually provided to the Eclipse Foundation by Edgeworx. Eclipse ioFog is the perfect project for me: a platform for developing and deploying applications on edge devices. So, shortly after joining Edgeworx, I decided to become a committer on the project, and I’ve never looked back.
How would you summarize your experience as a committer?
It’s been an amazing experience solving real-world problems and helping the wider community tackle similar use cases. It can certainly be challenging, and you run into some interesting problems. You don’t always have a solution at hand, but that gives you good experience brainstorming and finding solutions. Helping people resolve their issues using ioFog has been quite rewarding.
What are your next steps and goals as a committer and Eclipse Foundation community member?
I really want to make Eclipse ioFog one of the most-used projects in the entire Eclipse Foundation ecosystem. So, the first step is to get a fully stable, resilient, and enterprise-ready version out to the world. The next step is to get more developers using it. I really want to give back to the community that has given me so much.
What would you say to developers who are thinking about getting more involved in open source software projects at the Eclipse Foundation?
Contributing to open source gives you a different perspective on development, and lots of opportunities for real-time feedback from more seasoned developers. It’s a great way to further develop your coding skills and learn how to better structure your code. It’ll be a boost to your confidence and to your CV.
There are lots of projects available, and it’s very easy to start contributing. The Eclipse Foundation provides an environment of open innovation and contribution, and you have access to a community of like-minded developers who can offer inspiration and advice.
Plus, the Eclipse Foundation is a global community. It’s a source of pride to be a part of this common purpose.