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Thank you for your interest in contributing to Draconis++! This guide will help you get started with development and understand our contribution workflow.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:
  • C++26 compiler - Clang 17+, GCC 13+, or MSVC 19.36+
  • Meson (1.1+) and Ninja - Build system
  • just (optional) - Command runner for simplified build commands

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Getting started

1

Fork and clone the repository

Fork the Draconis++ repository on GitHub and clone your fork locally:
git clone https://github.com/your-username/draconisplusplus.git
cd draconisplusplus
2

Configure the build

Set up the build directory using either just or meson directly:
# Using just (recommended)
just setup

# Using Meson directly
meson setup build
3

Build the project

Compile the project:
# Using just
just build

# Using Meson directly
meson compile -C build
4

Run tests

Verify everything works by running the test suite:
# Using just
just test

# Using Meson directly
meson test -C build
5

Make your changes

Create a new branch for your feature or fix:
git checkout -b feature/my-new-feature
Make your changes following the code style guidelines.
6

Format your code

Format your code using clang-format before committing:
just format
7

Submit a pull request

Push your changes and create a pull request on GitHub with a descriptive title and description.

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Build configuration options

You can customize the build by setting various options:
OptionTypeDefaultDescription
weatherfeatureenabledWeather data fetching
nowplayingfeatureenabledNow playing media info
packagecountfeatureenabledPackage count functionality
cachingfeatureenabledCaching system
pluginsfeatureenabledPlugin support
precompiled_configboolfalseUse compile-time configuration
To configure options: 
# Using just
just configure -Dweather=disabled -Dplugins=enabled

# Using Meson directly
meson setup build --reconfigure -Dweather=disabled

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Common build commands

# Build with verbose output
just build-verbose

# Build in release mode
just release

# Run the binary
just run

# Run with arguments
just run-args --help

# Run tests with verbose output
just test-verbose

# Run a specific test
just test-one test_name

# Clean build artifacts
just clean

# Clean and rebuild
just rebuild

# Show build configuration
just info

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Project architecture

Draconis++ follows a layered architecture:

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include/Drac++/ - Public API

Headers exposed to consumers of the library. These define the stable interface.
  • Core/ - System data structures (System.hpp, Package.hpp)
  • Services/ - Service interfaces for external data (weather, packages)
  • Utils/ - Type aliases, error handling, macros

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src/Lib/ - Library implementation

The core library containing all platform-agnostic and platform-specific code.
  • Core/ - Cross-platform implementations
  • OS/ - Platform-specific code (Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD, etc.)
  • Services/ - External service integrations
  • Wrappers/ - Thin wrappers around third-party libraries

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src/CLI/ - Command-line interface

The user-facing application that consumes the library.
  • Config/ - TOML configuration parsing and management
  • Core/ - SystemInfo class that aggregates all system data
  • UI/ - Terminal output formatting and theming

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Submitting changes

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Commit messages

Use Conventional Commits format: 
feat: add battery level monitoring
fix: correct memory leak in cache manager
docs: update contributing guide
refactor: simplify OS detection logic
perf: optimize string conversion on Windows

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Pull request guidelines

  • Descriptive title - Clearly summarize the change
  • Reference issues - Include Fixes #123 if applicable
  • Include tests - Add tests for new functionality
  • Update documentation - Document new public APIs
  • Keep changes focused - One feature or fix per PR

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Getting help

If you have questions or need help:
  • Open an issue on GitHub
  • Start a discussion in the repository
  • Check existing issues and pull requests

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Next steps

Code style

Learn about naming conventions and formatting rules

Adding platforms

Add support for new operating systems

Testing

Write and run tests for your changes

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