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Thank you for considering contributing to Open Screen! By contributing, you help make this project better for everyone. This guide will walk you through the contribution process.
Open Screen is a community-driven project. We welcome contributions of all kinds, from bug fixes to new features.

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How to Contribute

1

Fork the Repository

Click the “Fork” button at the top right of the Open Screen repository to create your own copy.
2

Clone Your Fork

Clone your forked repository to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/your-username/openscreen.git
3

Create a New Branch

Create a branch for your feature or bug fix:
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
Use descriptive branch names that indicate the purpose of your changes.
4

Make Your Changes

Make your changes to the codebase. Follow the project’s coding standards and best practices.
5

Test Your Changes

Test your changes thoroughly to ensure they work as expected and do not break existing functionality.Run the test suite:
npm test
6

Commit Your Changes

Commit your changes with a clear and concise commit message:
git add .
git commit -m "Add a brief description of your changes"
7

Push Your Changes

Push your branch to your forked repository:
git push origin feature/your-feature-name
8

Open a Pull Request

Go to the original repository and open a pull request from your branch. Provide a clear description of your changes and the problem they solve.

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Development Setup

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:
  • Node.js (v16 or higher)
  • npm or yarn
  • Git

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Local Development

To set up the project for local development: 
# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run the development server
npm run dev

# Build the application
npm run build

# Run linter
npm run lint

# Run tests
npm test

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Tech Stack

Open Screen is built with:
  • Electron - Desktop application framework
  • React - UI library
  • TypeScript - Type-safe JavaScript
  • Vite - Build tool and dev server
  • PixiJS - 2D rendering engine
  • dnd-timeline - Timeline editing component

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Reporting Issues

If you encounter a bug or have a feature request, please open an issue in the Issues section of the repository.
Provide as much detail as possible when reporting issues, including:
  • Steps to reproduce the bug
  • Expected behavior
  • Actual behavior
  • Screenshots or videos if applicable
  • Your operating system and Open Screen version

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Style Guide

When contributing code to Open Screen, please follow these guidelines:

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Code Style

  • Write clear, concise, and descriptive commit messages
  • Include comments where necessary to explain complex code
  • Follow the existing code style and conventions
  • Use TypeScript types and interfaces appropriately
  • Run the linter before committing:
npm run lint:fix

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Commit Messages

Use conventional commit format:
  • feat: for new features
  • fix: for bug fixes
  • docs: for documentation changes
  • refactor: for code refactoring
  • test: for adding tests
  • chore: for maintenance tasks
Example: feat: add speed adjustment shortcut configuration

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What Can You Contribute?

There are many ways to contribute to Open Screen:

Bug Fixes

Help fix reported bugs or issues you encounter while using the application.

New Features

Implement new features or enhancements. Check the project roadmap for ideas.

Documentation

Improve documentation, add examples, or fix typos.

Testing

Write tests to improve code coverage and reliability.

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Community Guidelines

  • Be respectful and welcoming to all contributors
  • Provide constructive feedback on pull requests
  • Help others when you can
  • Follow the Code of Conduct

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Getting Help

If you need help with your contribution:
  • Check the project roadmap to understand the current direction
  • Look at open issues for context
  • Ask questions in your pull request or issue
  • Join discussions in the repository

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License

By contributing to Open Screen, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the MIT License.
Open Screen is 100% free for personal and commercial use. Your contributions help keep it that way!
Thank you for contributing to Open Screen! Your efforts help make screen recording accessible and free for everyone.

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