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Contributing to R-Type

Welcome! This guide explains the different ways you can contribute to the R-Type project and helps you find the right resources for your contribution type.

Ways to Contribute

1. 📝 Improve Documentation

Help us keep our documentation clear, accurate, and comprehensive. No coding required!

What you can do:

  • Fix typos or unclear explanations
  • Add missing documentation sections
  • Improve code examples and tutorials
  • Update outdated information
  • Translate documentation (future)

Where to start:

  • Read the Documentation Guide to understand our documentation standards
  • Check the Writing Guide for style and formatting rules
  • Look for issues labeled documentation on GitHub

Tools needed:

  • Git (for version control)
  • Text editor or Markdown editor
  • GitHub account

2. 🐛 Report Bugs

Found something broken? Help us fix it by reporting bugs clearly and completely.

What makes a good bug report:

  • Clear description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Expected vs actual behavior
  • Environment details (OS, compiler version, etc.)
  • Screenshots or error messages (if applicable)

Where to report:

  • Open an issue on GitHub with the bug label
  • Include as much detail as possible
  • Check if the bug is already reported before opening a new issue

3. ✨ Suggest Features

Have an idea to make R-Type better? Share your feature requests!

What we're interested in:

  • New game engine features
  • Better logging capabilities
  • Network improvements
  • Performance enhancements
  • Developer experience improvements

How to suggest:

  • Open an issue on GitHub with the enhancement label
  • Describe the feature and why it would be useful
  • Provide examples or use cases if possible
  • Discuss with maintainers before starting implementation

4. 💻 Write Code

Contribute code improvements, new features, or bug fixes.

Before you start:

  • Check Expectations for project requirements
  • Understand the project structure and architecture
  • Read the Game Engine documentation
  • Look for issues labeled good first issue or help wanted

What we need:

  • Bug fixes with tests
  • New features with documentation
  • Performance improvements
  • Code refactoring (with justification)
  • Build system improvements

Code contribution process:

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/your-feature)
  3. Make your changes
  4. Follow project coding standards
  5. Add/update tests
  6. Update documentation if needed
  7. Push to your fork
  8. Create a Pull Request

Code quality expectations:

  • Code must be well-documented
  • Tests must pass
  • Follow C++ best practices (C++17/20)
  • Maintain consistency with existing code style
  • No external dependencies without justification

5. 🧪 Write Tests

Help us maintain code quality by writing and improving tests.

Test types we need:

  • Unit tests for individual components
  • Integration tests for system interactions
  • Performance tests for critical paths

Where to start:

What to test:

  • ECS components and systems
  • Logger functionality
  • Network protocols
  • Game logic edge cases

6. 🔍 Code Review

Review pull requests and help maintain code quality.

How to participate:

  • Review open PRs on GitHub
  • Suggest improvements
  • Test the changes
  • Check documentation updates
  • Ensure code quality standards

Getting Started

Step 1: Understand the Project

Step 2: Choose Your Contribution Type

Pick from the types listed above based on your interests and skills.

Step 3: Check Requirements

Step 4: Make Your Changes

  • Create a branch or fork
  • Make your improvements
  • Test thoroughly
  • Write clear commit messages

Step 5: Submit Your Contribution

  • Push to your fork/branch
  • Create a Pull Request
  • Provide clear description
  • Link related issues
  • Be patient for review

Questions?

  • Check existing GitHub issues
  • Read the relevant documentation
  • Ask in pull request comments
  • Contact project maintainers

Code of Conduct

Be respectful and constructive. We welcome everyone regardless of experience level!

Recognition

All contributors are valued! Your contributions help make R-Type better.

Thank you for contributing! 🙏