Contributing

Contributing

Join the Community

Learn how to contribute to open source projects and help build amazing mobile applications

Contributing to open source projects is a rewarding way to learn, share knowledge, and help build better software. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced developer, there are many ways to get involved.

Ways to Contribute

🐛 Bug Reports

Help improve project quality by reporting bugs and issues.

How to Report Bugs:

1. Check existing issues - Search for similar problems first
2. Use issue templates - Follow the provided template
3. Provide details - Include steps to reproduce, environment info, and screenshots
4. Be responsive - Respond to questions from maintainers

Bug Report Template:

## Bug Description
A clear description of the bug.

## Steps to Reproduce
1. Go to '...'
2. Click on '...'
3. See error

## Expected Behavior
What should happen.

## Actual Behavior
What actually happens.

## Environment
- OS: [e.g., Windows 11, macOS 14]
- Framework: [e.g., .NET MAUI 8.0]
- Device: [e.g., iPhone 15, Pixel 7]

💡 Feature Requests

Suggest new features and improvements.

How to Suggest Features:

1. Check roadmap - Review existing plans and issues
2. Describe use case - Explain why the feature is needed
3. Provide examples - Show how it would work
4. Consider alternatives - Discuss different approaches

📝 Code Contributions

Contribute code improvements, bug fixes, and new features.

Getting Started:

1. Fork the repository - Create your own copy
2. Create a branch - Use descriptive branch names
3. Make changes - Follow coding standards
4. Test thoroughly - Ensure nothing breaks
5. Submit pull request - Include detailed description

📚 Documentation

Improve documentation, tutorials, and guides.

Documentation Needs:

• README improvements - Better project descriptions
• Code comments - Explain complex logic
• API documentation - Document public methods
• Tutorials - Step-by-step guides
• Examples - Code samples and demos

🎨 Design Contributions

Help improve user interfaces and user experience.

Design Contributions:

• UI mockups - Create design proposals
• Icon sets - Design consistent icons
• Color schemes - Develop color palettes
• Typography - Improve text styling
• Accessibility - Ensure inclusive design

Contribution Guidelines

Code Standards

.NET MAUI / Xamarin.Forms Projects

// Use meaningful variable names
var weatherData = await weatherService.GetCurrentWeatherAsync();

// Follow C# naming conventions
public class WeatherService
{
    public async Task<WeatherData> GetCurrentWeatherAsync()
    {
        // Implementation
    }
}

// Use proper error handling
try
{
    var result = await apiCall();
    return result;
}
catch (HttpRequestException ex)
{
    logger.LogError(ex, "API call failed");
    throw;
}

React Projects

// Use descriptive component names
const WeatherCard = ({ weather }) => {
  return (
    <div className="weather-card">
      <h3>{weather.city}</h3>
      <p>{weather.temperature}°C</p>
    </div>
  );
};

// Use TypeScript for better type safety
interface WeatherData {
  city: string;
  temperature: number;
  humidity: number;
}

Git Workflow

Branch Naming

• Feature branches: feature/add-dark-mode
• Bug fixes: bugfix/fix-crash-on-startup
• Documentation: docs/update-readme
• Refactoring: refactor/improve-error-handling

Commit Messages

# Good commit messages
feat: add dark mode support
fix: resolve crash when loading weather data
docs: update API documentation
refactor: improve error handling in weather service

# Follow conventional commits format
type(scope): description

# Types: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore

Pull Request Process

Before Submitting

1. Update your branch - Rebase on latest main
2. Run tests - Ensure all tests pass
3. Check formatting - Follow code style guidelines
4. Update documentation - Document new features
5. Add tests - Include tests for new functionality

Pull Request Template

## Description
Brief description of changes.

## Type of Change
- [ ] Bug fix (non-breaking change)
- [ ] New feature (non-breaking change)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature that causes existing functionality to change)
- [ ] Documentation update

## Testing
- [ ] Unit tests pass
- [ ] Integration tests pass
- [ ] Manual testing completed

## Screenshots (if applicable)
Add screenshots to help explain your changes.

## Checklist
- [ ] Code follows style guidelines
- [ ] Self-reviewed the changes
- [ ] Comments added to hard-to-understand areas
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Tests added/updated

Community Guidelines

Code of Conduct

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Our Standards:

• Be respectful - Treat everyone with kindness and respect
• Be collaborative - Work together to solve problems
• Be patient - Help others learn and grow
• Be inclusive - Welcome diverse perspectives and experiences

Unacceptable Behavior:

• Harassment, discrimination, or offensive language
• Personal attacks or trolling
• Spam or off-topic discussions
• Sharing private information without consent

Communication Channels

GitHub

• Issues - Bug reports and feature requests
• Discussions - General questions and ideas
• Pull Requests - Code contributions and reviews

Social Media

• Twitter - @DaniMonettelli
• LinkedIn - Professional networking
• Blog - danielmonettelli.github.io

Recognition

Contributor Recognition

• Contributors file - Listed in project contributors
• Release notes - Mentioned in release announcements
• Social media - Featured in project updates
• Blog posts - Highlighted in technical articles

Project-Specific Guidelines

.NET MAUI Projects

Development Environment

• Visual Studio 2022 - Latest version recommended
• Android SDK - API level 23 or higher
• iOS SDK - iOS 11.0 or higher (Mac required)
• Windows SDK - Windows 10 version 1903 or higher

Testing

• Unit Tests - xUnit or NUnit
• UI Tests - Appium or platform-specific tools
• Integration Tests - Test API integrations
• Performance Tests - Monitor app performance

React Projects

Development Environment

• Node.js - Version 18 or higher
• npm/yarn - Package manager
• TypeScript - Strongly recommended
• ESLint - Code linting tool

Testing

• Jest - Unit testing framework
• React Testing Library - Component testing
• Cypress - End-to-end testing
• Storybook - Component documentation

Xamarin.Forms Projects

Development Environment

• Visual Studio 2022 - With Xamarin workload
• Android SDK - API level 21 or higher
• iOS SDK - iOS 9.0 or higher
• Xamarin.Forms - Latest stable version

Migration Notice

Many Xamarin.Forms projects are being migrated to .NET MAUI. Consider contributing to the migration effort or the new .NET MAUI versions.

Learning Resources

For New Contributors

• First Contributions - Learn Git and GitHub
• Open Source Guide - Comprehensive open source guide
• GitHub Skills - Interactive Git and GitHub courses

For Mobile Development

• .NET MAUI Documentation - Official documentation
• Xamarin University - Free mobile development courses
• Mobile Development Best Practices - Guidelines and patterns

For React Development

• React Documentation - Official React documentation
• React Tutorial - Interactive React tutorial
• TypeScript Handbook - TypeScript documentation

Getting Help

Support Channels

• GitHub Issues - Technical questions and bugs
• Discussions - General questions and ideas
• Stack Overflow - Community support
• Discord/Slack - Real-time chat support

Mentorship

• Code Reviews - Get feedback on your contributions
• Pair Programming - Collaborate on complex features
• Architecture Guidance - Learn best practices
• Career Advice - Professional development support

Events and Workshops

Community Events

• Hacktoberfest - October open source event
• Open Source Friday - Weekly contribution day
• Local Meetups - In-person developer gatherings
• Online Workshops - Virtual learning sessions

Speaking Opportunities

• Conference Talks - Share your contributions
• Blog Posts - Write about your experience
• Podcasts - Discuss open source development
• YouTube Videos - Create educational content

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Ready to contribute? Start with a simple issue or reach out if you need guidance getting started!