From ef76eabf723f640d3ac38e398de903bb5976265a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ian Skelskey <ianskelskey@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2024 23:37:09 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] Add CONTRIBUTING.md guide for Evergit project

Creates a CONTRIBUTING.md file providing guidelines on contributing to Evergit. Includes instructions for forking, branching, committing, and submitting pull requests. Details local setup, testing, code formatting, and version bump procedures.

- Adding steps for setting up the repository locally and installing dependencies
- Detailing the pull request process, plus requirements for merging into `main`
- Including formatting and testing instructions to ensure code quality
- Guiding contributors on communication and where to seek support

Release-Note: Introduce comprehensive contributing guide for Evergit

Signed-off-by: Ian Skelskey <ianskelskey@gmail.com>
---
 CONTRIBUTING.md | 150 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 150 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 CONTRIBUTING.md

diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b87544
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+# Contributing to Evergit
+
+We appreciate your interest in contributing to **Evergit**! This document outlines the process for contributing code, testing, and submitting pull requests.
+
+## How to Contribute
+
+### 1. Fork the Repository
+1. [**Fork the Repository**](https://github.com/IanSkelskey/evergit/fork)
+2. Clone your fork to your local machine:
+   ~~~bash
+   git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/evergit.git
+   ~~~
+3. Add the original repository as an upstream remote:
+   ~~~bash
+   git remote add upstream https://github.com/IanSkelskey/evergit.git
+   ~~~
+
+### 2. Work on Your Feature or Fix
+1. Create a new branch for your changes, based on the `dev` branch:
+   ~~~bash
+   git checkout dev
+   git pull upstream dev
+   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
+   ~~~
+2. Make your changes, commit them, and push the branch to your fork:
+   ~~~bash
+   git add .
+   git commit -m "Add your meaningful commit message here"
+   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
+   ~~~
+
+### 3. Open a Pull Request
+1. Navigate to the [Pull Requests](https://github.com/IanSkelskey/evergit/pulls) section of the Evergit repository.
+2. Click **New Pull Request** and select:
+   - **Base branch:** `dev`
+   - **Compare branch:** `feature/your-feature-name` (or the branch you created)
+3. Provide a detailed description of the changes in the pull request template and link to any related issues.
+4. Submit the pull request.
+
+### 4. Preparing for Merging into `main`
+Before a pull request is merged into the `main` branch, ensure:
+1. The code is fully tested and passes all checks.
+2. The version bump script is executed (see below).
+
+---
+
+## Running the Code Locally
+
+1. **Clone the repository:**
+   ~~~bash
+   git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/evergit.git
+   cd evergit
+   ~~~
+
+2. **Install dependencies:**
+   ~~~bash
+   npm install
+   ~~~
+
+3. **Run the project:**
+   To execute the project locally:
+   ~~~bash
+   npm start
+   ~~~
+
+4. **Run a specific command:**
+   For example, to test the `commit` command:
+   ~~~bash
+   npm start commit -- -a
+   ~~~
+
+---
+
+## Testing the Code
+
+This project uses Jest for testing. To run all tests:
+~~~bash
+npm test
+~~~
+
+To run a specific test file:
+~~~bash
+npm test <test-file-name>
+~~~
+
+Ensure all tests pass before submitting your pull request.
+
+---
+
+## Formatting the Code
+
+To ensure consistent code formatting, use the provided Prettier script. Run the following command to format the entire codebase:
+~~~bash
+npm run format
+~~~
+
+To check for formatting issues without applying changes:
+~~~bash
+npm run format-check
+~~~
+
+---
+
+## Running the Version Bump Script
+
+Before opening a pull request into the `main` branch, you must run the version bump script to increment the version number and update the changelog.
+
+### Steps:
+1. **Run the script:**
+   ~~~bash
+   npm run version-bump -- <increment>
+   ~~~
+   Replace `<increment>` with one of the following:
+   - `major`: For breaking changes
+   - `minor`: For new features
+   - `patch`: For bug fixes (default if no increment is specified)
+
+2. **Commit the updated files:**
+   The script will automatically:
+   - Update `package.json` and `package-lock.json` with the new version.
+   - Update the version badge in `README.md`.
+   - Update the version in `src/main.ts`.
+   - Append the changelog in `CHANGELOG.md`.
+
+   After running the script, commit the changes:
+   ~~~bash
+   git add package.json package-lock.json README.md CHANGELOG.md src/main.ts
+   git commit -m "Bump version for release"
+   ~~~
+
+3. **Push the updated version:**
+   ~~~bash
+   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
+   ~~~
+
+---
+
+## Code Guidelines
+
+- Follow the existing coding style and conventions.
+- Document your code where necessary.
+- Ensure the code is clean and free of console logs or unnecessary comments before submitting.
+
+---
+
+## Communication and Support
+
+If you have questions or need help, feel free to open a discussion or contact the maintainers via the issue tracker.
+
+Thank you for contributing to Evergit!