Contribution guidelines

Thank you for your interest in contributing to AMRIT! Your contributions help us improve the platform and make it more valuable for users across the healthcare community. This guide will help you get started with contributing to the project.

1. Getting started

Before contributing, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the project:

• Explore the codebase: Review the AMRIT repositories to understand the project's structure and core components.

• Read the documentation: Check the documentation to understand how AMRIT works and its key features.

• Check open issues: Browse the GitHub Issues to see if there are any open issues you can help with.

2. Types of contributions

There are many ways to contribute to AMRIT, including:

• Reporting bugs: If you find a bug, please report it by opening a GitHub Issue. Include as much detail as possible, including steps to reproduce the issue and any error messages.

• Suggesting enhancements: Have an idea for a new feature or improvement? Share it with us by starting a discussion in the GitHub Discussions forum or by opening a feature request issue.

• Writing code: We welcome code contributions, whether it’s fixing bugs, adding new features, or improving existing functionality. See the "How to Submit a Pull Request" section below for details.

• Improving documentation: Clear and accurate documentation is vital. If you find gaps or errors in the documentation, please help us improve it.

• Testing: Help us by testing the platform and providing feedback. You can test new features, check for regressions, and ensure everything works as expected.

3. How to submit a Pull Request (PR)

When you're ready to contribute code to AMRIT, follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository: Start by forking the AMRIT repository to your GitHub account.

2. Create a branch: Create a new branch from the main branch in your fork. Name your branch descriptively, e.g., feature/new-dashboard or bugfix/issue-123.

3. Make your changes: Implement your changes in your branch. Please follow the existing code style and conventions.

4. Commit your changes: Write clear, concise commit messages that explain your changes.

5. Push to your fork: Push your changes to your fork on GitHub.

6. Create a Pull Request: Go to the original AMRIT repository and open a pull request. Provide a detailed description of your changes and link any related issues or discussions.

4. Code style and standards

To maintain consistency in the codebase, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Code style: Follow the code style and conventions used in the existing codebase. Check for linting errors before submitting.

• Testing: Ensure your code is well-tested. If applicable, add unit tests for your changes.

• Documentation: Update or add documentation as needed, especially if your changes impact the user experience or developer API.

Commit Message Convention

AMRIT follows a specific commit message format that is automatically enforced both locally and in pull requests:

• Format: type(scope): subject

• Example: feat(login): add remember me functionality

Commit Types:

• feat: A new feature

• fix: A bug fix

• docs: Documentation changes

• style: Code style changes (formatting, etc.)

• refactor: Code changes that neither fix bugs nor add features

• perf: Performance improvements

• test: Adding or fixing tests

• build: Changes to build process or tools

• ci: Changes to CI configuration

• chore: Other changes (e.g., maintenance tasks, dependencies)

This project uses Git hooks to enforce consistent code quality and commit message standards. Follow these steps to set up the hooks locally:

• Prerequisites

  • Node.js (v14 or later)

  • npm (comes with Node.js)

• Setup Steps

  1. Install Node.js and npm

     • Download and install from nodejs.org
     • Verify installation with:

       node --version
       npm --version

  2. Install dependencies

     • From the project root directory, run:

       npm ci

     • This installs required dependencies, including Husky and commitlint.

  3. Verify hooks installation

     • The hooks should be automatically installed by Husky.

     • You can verify by checking if the .husky directory contains executable hooks.

Your commit messages will be automatically validated when you commit, ensuring project consistency.

5. Review Process

Once you submit a pull request:

• Automated checks: Your pull request will go through automated checks (e.g., linting, unit tests). Please ensure all checks pass.

• Code review: A project maintainer will review your code. Be prepared to discuss and revise your code based on feedback.

• Merge: Once your pull request is approved and all checks pass, it will be merged into the main branch.

6. Community guidelines

• Be respectful: Treat all community members with respect. Constructive feedback and discussions are encouraged.

• Stay on topic: Keep discussions and contributions relevant to the project.

• Ask for help: If you’re unsure about something, don’t hesitate to ask for help. The community and maintainers are here to support you.

7. Licensing

By contributing to AMRIT, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 License. Make sure you understand the licensing terms before submitting your contribution.

8. Getting Help

If you need any help with contributing, feel free to ask in the GitHub Discussions forum or reach out via email at [e-mail].

We appreciate your contributions and look forward to collaborating with you to make AMRIT even better!