Template Structure

Use this template to create a CONTRIBUTING.md file for your repository.

---

Contributing to [Project Name]

Thank you for your interest in contributing! This document will guide you through the process.

Table of Contents

• Getting Started
• How to Contribute
• Development Setup
• Coding Standards
• Pull Request Process
• Reporting Bugs
• Community Guidelines

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• [Tool/Runtime] version X or higher
• [Package manager] installed
• A GitHub account

Finding Issues to Work On

• Check good first issue labels
• Browse open issues and comment to claim
• Open a new issue if you find a bug or have a feature request

How to Contribute

Reporting Bugs

1. Search existing issues first
2. Open a new issue with the bug report template
3. Include:
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Expected behavior
   • Actual behavior
   • Environment details (OS, version, etc.)
   • Screenshots or logs if applicable

Suggesting Features

1. Open a new issue with the feature request template
2. Describe the problem and proposed solution
3. Discuss with maintainers before investing significant effort

Development Setup

# 1. Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/[org]/[repo].git
cd [repo]

# 2. Install dependencies
[install command]

# 3. Create a branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

# 4. Verify setup
[test command]

Coding Standards

Style Guide

• Follow [language/framework conventions]
• Run the linter before committing: [lint command]
• Format code with: [format command]

Commit Messages

Use conventional commits:

feat: add new feature
fix: resolve bug in module
docs: update documentation
refactor: restructure code
test: add missing tests
chore: update dependencies

Testing

• Add tests for new features
• Ensure all tests pass: [test command]
• Aim for [coverage target]% code coverage

Pull Request Process

1. Branch naming: feature/description, fix/description, docs/description
2. Commit: Follow conventional commit format
3. Push: Push to your fork
4. Open PR: Use the pull request template
5. Review: Address reviewer feedback
6. Merge: Maintainers will merge once approved

PR Checklist

• Tests added or updated
• Documentation updated
• Linter passes
• Commit messages follow convention
• PR description is clear and complete

Community Guidelines

Code of Conduct

• Be respectful and inclusive
• Focus on constructive feedback
• Assume good intent
• Report harassment to [contact email]

Recognition

Contributors will be:

• Listed in the README or CONTRIBUTORS file
• Mentioned in release notes
• Given appropriate credit in the project history

Questions?

• Open a Discussion for general questions
• Join our Discord/Slack for real-time chat
• Email [contact email] for private inquiries