My Journey Continues: Week 9 Progress with DIPY#
Hello everyone! It’s time for another update on my progress. Week 9 has been a blend of learning, preparation, and a bit of personal work as I continue my journey with the dipy.org project. This week, I focused on diving into Docker, an essential tool for the upcoming tasks in our project. Let me take you through what I accomplished and learned over the past few days.
Learning Docker#
One of the key goals for this week was to get up to speed with Docker, as it will play a significant role in the next phase of our project. I’ve heard a lot about Docker’s versatility and how it simplifies the process of managing development environments, so I was eager to dive in.
Getting Started with Docker
I started my Docker journey by exploring the official Docker documentation, which provided a solid foundation. The tutorials and examples there were incredibly helpful in understanding the basics of Docker, including concepts like containers, images, Dockerfiles, and volumes. The step-by-step guide walked me through setting up my first container, which was a satisfying experience.
Trial and Error
While the documentation gave me a good start, much of my learning came through trial and error. I experimented with creating and running containers, exploring how to build custom Docker images, and understanding how to manage multiple containers simultaneously.
I also explored some video tutorials on YouTube.
For reference, I was pointed to look at the pyAFQ docker as well. (yeatmanlab/pyAFQ)
Docker in the Context of DIPY
The reason for learning Docker was for creation of DIPY docker image that can be utilized easily for running DIPY and doing tests.
PhD Applications#
On the personal front, this week also marked the beginning of my PhD application process. Balancing the demands of my work with DIPY and the preparation required for my applications has been challenging, but I’m hanging on. I’ve started drafting my statement of purpose and gathering the necessary documents.
The process of applying for a PhD is quite intense. I’m excited about this next step in my academic journey, but it does mean I’m a bit busier than usual. Nevertheless, I’m committed to continuing my work with DIPY and ensuring that I stay on track with my GSoC project.
Difficulties & Challenges#
This week’s challenges were more about balancing my time and managing multiple learning curves. Docker, while immensely powerful, has a steep learning curve, especially when you’re new to containerization. However, I found that breaking down the learning process into smaller, manageable tasks helped me make steady progress.
The other challenge, of course, was balancing my PhD application work with my commitments to DIPY. It’s a delicate balance, but I’m confident that with careful time management, I’ll be able to handle both effectively.
Next Week#
Looking ahead to next week, I plan to:
Practice with Docker and Create a DIPY Docker Image: I’ll continue refining my Docker skills and aim to create a Docker image specifically for DIPY. This will involve ensuring all dependencies are correctly configured and the image can be used effectively within our development workflow.
Fix Tutorials for the Keyword Argument PR: In addition to working with Docker, I’ll also be fixing the tutorials related to the keyword argument PR that I implemented earlier. This will involve updating the documentation and ensuring the tutorials reflect the latest changes in the codebase.
Final Thoughts#
Week 9 has been a productive blend of learning and preparation, setting the stage for some exciting developments in the coming weeks. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing how Docker can streamline our workflows in DIPY, and I’m equally excited about the progress I’m making on my PhD applications.
As always, I’m grateful for the support and guidance from my mentor, Serge Koudoro, and the DIPY community. Their feedback and encouragement continue to be invaluable as I navigate both the technical challenges of this project and the personal milestones in my academic journey.
Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to dive deeper into Docker and tackle the next set of tasks in DIPY! Thank you for reading, and I look forward to sharing more progress next week.