Hi, I am a current GSoC student on GCC, so I'll let some of your questions to more veteran contributors. However, feel free to also reach out to me if you got any questions as to where to start, as I consider myself just out of this phase.
Programming Languages: Which programming languages are commonly used in GCC projects? Are there any specific languages that you recommend beginners to focus on initially? GCC is written in a customized mix of C++ and C. Some C++ standard constructs have been handmade, such as vectors. However, if you are familiar with C++, I believe you'll adapt quickly to those. If you consider contributing to some language front-end, or to some specific back-end, then knowledge on that front will always be useful. However, from my short experience, I can already tell you that GCC is in itself a great teacher, as long as you have the basics, or put the extra effort to get them, you'll step up your game quickly. Tools: What are the essential tools utilized in GCC projects? It would be helpful to know which tools are commonly used for tasks such as version control, project management, documentation, and testing. Git is the one tool you have to get used for GCC, as for testing it is a bit old-fashioned with a TCL based testsuite (see Dejagnu). I'd encourage you to try install GCC from the sources, and poke around them in your favorite editor. It might be a bit rough at first, but that's also how you'll progress quickly. Obviously, if you consider contributing to the development of GCC, you will need to be debug some things. I think GDB is the most used debugger here. Learning Resources: Could you please recommend any online resources, tutorials, or documentation that can assist beginners in understanding GCC projects and the associated technologies? I would recommend https://gcc.gnu.org/contribute.html obviously, but also https://gcc-newbies-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html, that will soon get extra content. If you decide to take a look at the sources, see the documentation https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/index.html. I am also writing a blog to keep track of my GSoC project, once I have a proper open source license set up I will send you the link (in a few hours if I'm not lazy). Good luck and feel free to reach out, Benjamin.
