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Contribution Guidelines

Thank you for contributing to UniLoot! This repository follows a lightweight process to keep project status clear and up-to-date.

How to contribute

  1. Fork the repository (or branch from main if you have write access).
  2. Create a descriptive branch for your work (e.g. feature/browse-page, fix/db-connection).
  3. Make your changes and run the app locally (see README.md for setup). Add tests if applicable.
  4. Update documentation where relevant.

Project Status Tracking (IMPORTANT)

We use PROJECT_STATUS.md as the canonical human-readable snapshot of the repository health and major changes. To keep the project status accurate for all contributors, please follow these rules:

  • Every time you merge or push a change that affects configuration, scripts, runtime behavior, CI, or major features (for example: adding routes, changing server scripts, updating TypeScript config, adding/removing hooks, etc.), update PROJECT_STATUS.md with:

    • A one-line summary of the change (who, when, what)
    • Any local run/start instructions that changed
    • New dependencies added or removed
    • Any manual steps required for running the app (for example, set MONGO_URI in backend/.env)

  • Keep the Last updated line current with the date and include the commit hash or PR reference if possible.

  • Use clear headings and the same top-level structure as the existing PROJECT_STATUS.md so the file remains easy to scan (Summary → Changes → Health checks → Next steps).

Commit message style

We recommend conventional commits. A good commit message format is:

<type>(<scope>): <short summary>

<body> (optional)

<footer> (optional)

Examples:

feat(ui): add product card component
fix(backend): guard mongoose connect when MONGO_URI missing
chore(dev): update dev script to src/server.ts

If you are unable to use commit hooks locally, explain why in the PR description and we can address the hook configuration centrally.

Making a Pull Request

  • Open a PR against main with a descriptive title and summary of changes.
  • Link any related issues.
  • In the PR description, include any manual steps required to run/test the change (for reviewers).
  • Update PROJECT_STATUS.md in the same PR if the change affects project state.

Questions

If you're unsure whether a change requires a PROJECT_STATUS.md update, please add it — better to be explicit. If you have questions, open an issue and tag a maintainer.

Thanks for improving UniLoot — your contributions make the project better!

Keep your branch up-to-date with main

To avoid merge conflicts and keep development smooth, please regularly sync your feature branches with main while you work. Recommended cadence:

  • Pull from main at least once a day for long-lived branches.
  • Pull before opening a PR or immediately before merging.

Suggested workflow (from your feature branch):

# fetch latest
git fetch origin

# update your local main branch
git checkout main
git pull origin main

# switch back to your feature branch and rebase or merge
git checkout feature/your-branch
# Option A: rebase (clean history)
git rebase main
# OR Option B: merge (preserve history)
git merge main

If you frequently encounter conflicts or diverging histories, consider creating smaller PRs or rebasing frequently to keep your work current.