CONTRIBUTING.md

How to contribute

We welcome everyone to submit pull requests with:

• issue fixes
• change suggestions
• documentation updates

However, not every pull request will automatically be accepted. I will review each carefully to make sure it is in line with the direction I want the package to continue in. This might mean that some pull requests are not accepted, or might stay unmerged until a place for them can be determined.

Testing

• After making your changes, make sure the tests still pass.
• When adding new functionality, also add new tests.
• When fixing errors write and satisfy new unit tests that replicate the issue.
• Make sure there are no build errors.
• All code must past PHPCS and PHPMD PSR2 validation.

Submitting changes

When submitting a pull request, it is important to make sure to complete the following:

• Add a descriptive header that explains in a single sentence what problem the PR solves.
• Add a detailed description with animated screen-grab GIFs visualizing how it works.
• Explain why you think it should be implemented one way vs. another, highlight performance improvements, etc.

Coding conventions

Start reading our code and you'll get the hang of it. We optimize for readability:

• indent using four spaces (soft tabs)
• use Blade for all views
• avoid logic in views, put it in controllers or service classes
• ALWAYS put spaces after list items and method parameters ([1, 2, 3], not [1,2,3]), around operators (x += 1, not x+=1), and around hash arrows.
• this is open source software. Consider the people who will read your code, and make it look nice for them. It's sort of like driving a car: Perhaps you love doing donuts when you're alone, but with passengers the goal is to make the ride as smooth as possible.
• emphasis readability of code over patterns to reduce mental debt
• always add an empty line around structures (if statements, loops, etc.)

Thanks! Mike Bronner, GeneaLabs