CONTRIBUTING.md

Contributing to TastyTrails 🍽️

Welcome to the TastyTrails project! We're excited to have you contribute and help us build a community-driven platform around food and culture. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned developer, there are many ways you can make an impact. 🎉

How to Contribute

1. Getting Started

• Fork the repository and clone it to your local machine.
• Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix: git checkout -b feature-name or git checkout -b bugfix-name.
• Make sure to keep your fork updated by pulling from the main branch regularly.
• You can follow the below video to setup your project locally (Instructions may vary for windows as i have set this up on Linux)
• How to setup project locally | How to generate github API key
• Here is a list of required packages to install as mentioned in the video

  • Mongo and its packages:

    • MongoDB Community Edition – https://www.mongodb.com/try/download/community
    • Mongodb shell – https://www.mongodb.com/try/download/shell
    • Mongodb compass – https://www.mongodb.com/try/download/compass
    • Make sure to check if mongo is up and running (You can refer youtube for troubleshooting)

  • Npm packages: To setup initial required packages for both front-end and backend, go to respective folders i.e /frontend and /backend and execute the below command

    npm i install

    To install Nodemon to run your server (optional), go to /backend and execute the below command

    npm install --save-dev nodemon

  • For any errors: You can simply search the error on either stackoverflow or as in Q & A section.

• Thats it, You are all set with your project.

2. Reporting Bugs 🐛

• Search through existing issues to avoid duplicates.
• If you find a bug, open a new issue with the following:
  • Title: Clear and concise title of the bug.
  • Description: Describe the bug with steps to reproduce, expected behavior, and actual behavior.
  • Environment: Include information like the browser version, OS, or any other relevant details.

3. Suggesting Features 🚀

• Before suggesting a new feature, check if it's already listed in existing issues.
• Open a new issue with the following:
  • Title: Title of the feature.
  • Description: Explain the feature with examples of how it can enhance the project.
  • Use Case: Describe how this feature benefits users or solves a problem.

4. Making Code Contributions 💻

• Ensure your code follows the project's coding style and standard.
• Create a pull request against the main branch with a descriptive title and a clear summary of changes.

5. UI/UX Contributions 🎨

• If you want to contribute to the design, create mockups or design assets.
• Use the existing style guide to maintain consistency in the design.
• Submit designs via issues or add them to a Figma/Sketch file if applicable.

6. Additional Guidelines

• Keep commit messages concise and descriptive.
• Submit one feature/bug fix per pull request.
• Make sure your code works with supported versions of Node.js and other dependencies.

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We value every contribution and are happy to guide you through your first PR if needed. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance.

Happy coding and welcome to the TastyTrails community! 🍕🌟