IST 400/600: Open Source Software Development Practicum
Syracuse University, Fall 2026
Course info
Room: Hinds Hall 117
Time: Thursdays, 2:00PM – 4:45PM
Instructor: Collin Capano
Email: cdcapano@syr.edu
Office hours: Wednesdays, 2:00PM – 3:00PM in Hinds 206A, or by appointment.
Class Schedule
Note: schedule subject to change as we progress through the semester.
| Week | Dates | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8/27 | Intro; project selection |
| 2 | 9/3 | Creating and managing environments |
| 3 | 9/10 | Git 1: Branches |
| 4 | 9/17 | Git 2: Merging, rebasing, and fixing merge conflicts |
| 5 | 9/24 | Git 3: GitHub, remote repositories, and pull requests |
| 6 | 10/1 | Effective use of AI |
| 7 | 10/8 | More AI tips; Collaborating on GitHub |
| 8 | 10/15 | Anatomy of a software package / Packaging and deployment |
| 9 | 10/22 | Development day (remote) |
| 10 | 10/29 | Writing and deploying CI tests via GitHub actions |
| 11 | 11/5 | Creating a documentation page via GitHub pages |
| 12 | 11/12 | Choosing an open source license |
| 13 | 11/19 | Development models / writing a contributing guide |
| 14 | 11/26 | Thanksgiving - no class |
| 15 | 12/3 | Project presentations |
| – | 12/10 | Grad students: project papers due |
Important dates
| Date | |
|---|---|
| 8/24 | First day of classes |
| 9/14 | Academic/Financial drop deadline; Religious observance notification deadline |
| 10/12 - 10/13 | Fall break |
| 11/20 | Withdrawal deadline |
| 11/22 - 11/29 | Thanksgiving Break |
| 12/8 | Last day of classes |