Contributing Guide

Contributing to SoftStacker

Thank you for your interest in contributing to SoftStacker! This guide will help you get started with contributing to the project.

Code of Conduct

By participating in this project, you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read it before contributing.

How Can I Contribute?

Reporting Bugs

1. Check if the bug has already been reported in the Issues section
2. If not, create a new issue with the following information:
   • Clear title and description
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Expected behavior
   • Actual behavior
   • Screenshots if applicable
   • Your environment (OS, browser, etc.)

Suggesting Enhancements

1. Check if the enhancement has already been suggested
2. Create a new issue with:
   • Clear title and description
   • Use case for the enhancement
   • Any potential implementation details
   • Mock-ups or examples if applicable

Pull Requests

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a new branch:

   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

3. Make your changes following our coding standards
4. Write or update tests as needed
5. Run the test suite:

   npm run test

6. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m "feat: add amazing feature"

7. Push to your fork:

   git push origin feature/your-feature-name

8. Open a Pull Request

Development Guidelines

Coding Standards

• Use TypeScript for all new code
• Follow the existing code style
• Use meaningful variable and function names
• Add comments for complex logic
• Keep functions small and focused

Component Guidelines

• Use functional components with hooks
• Keep components small and reusable
• Follow atomic design principles
• Use proper TypeScript types
• Add prop validation

Testing

• Write unit tests for utilities
• Add integration tests for API routes
• Test components using React Testing Library
• Maintain good test coverage

Git Commit Guidelines

Follow conventional commits:

• feat: New feature
• fix: Bug fix
• docs: Documentation changes
• style: Code style changes
• refactor: Code refactoring
• test: Adding or updating tests
• chore: Maintenance tasks

Documentation

• Update README.md if needed
• Add JSDoc comments to functions
• Update API documentation for new endpoints
• Add inline comments for complex logic

Project Structure

softstacker/
├── app/              # Next.js pages and API routes
├── components/       # React components
├── lib/             # Utility functions
├── types/           # TypeScript types
└── tests/           # Test files

Key Directories

• app/: Contains all pages and API routes
• components/: Reusable UI components
• lib/: Helper functions and utilities
• types/: TypeScript type definitions
• tests/: Test files matching the source structure

Setting Up Development Environment

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install

2. Set up environment variables:

   cp .env.example .env.local

3. Set up pre-commit hooks:

   npm run prepare

4. Start development server:

   npm run dev

Need Help?

• Check the FAQ
• Join our Discord community
• Read the Developer Guide
• Contact the maintainers

Recognition

Contributors will be added to our Contributors list in the README.md file.