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We welcome contributions to Zeal! Whether you’re fixing bugs, adding features, improving documentation, or helping with translations, your contributions are valuable to the project.

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Getting Started

Before contributing, please familiarize yourself with:

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Ways to Contribute

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Reporting Issues

Found a bug or have a feature request? Please report it on our GitHub Issues page. When reporting a bug, please include:
  • Zeal version number
  • Operating system and version
  • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • Expected vs. actual behavior
  • Screenshots if applicable

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Contributing Code

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Fork and Clone

  1. Fork the Zeal repository on GitHub
  2. Clone your fork locally:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/zeal.git
cd zeal
  1. Add the upstream repository as a remote:
git remote add upstream https://github.com/zealdocs/zeal.git

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Create a Branch

Create a new branch for your work: 
git checkout -b feature/my-new-feature
Use descriptive branch names:
  • feature/add-new-feature for new features
  • fix/bug-description for bug fixes
  • docs/update-readme for documentation changes
  • refactor/component-name for refactoring

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Make Your Changes

  1. Write clean, well-documented code following our code style guidelines
  2. Add or update tests as needed (see testing guidelines)
  3. Update documentation if you’re changing functionality
  4. Keep commits focused and atomic

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Commit Your Changes

Write clear, descriptive commit messages: 
git add .
git commit -m "Add feature: fuzzy search improvements"
Commit message guidelines:
  • Use the imperative mood (“Add feature” not “Added feature”)
  • Capitalize the first letter
  • Keep the first line under 72 characters
  • Reference issue numbers when applicable (e.g., “Fix crash on startup (#123)“)

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Submit a Pull Request

  1. Push your changes to your fork:
git push origin feature/my-new-feature
  1. Open a pull request on GitHub from your branch to zealdocs/zeal:main
  2. Fill out the pull request template with:
    • Description of changes
    • Related issue numbers
    • Testing performed
    • Screenshots for UI changes
  3. Wait for review from maintainers

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Code Review Process

The project maintainer @trollixx (as specified in CODEOWNERS) will review your pull request. During code review:
  • Be responsive to feedback
  • Make requested changes promptly
  • Ask questions if feedback is unclear
  • Be patient - reviews may take time

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Contributing Documentation

Documentation improvements are always welcome! You can:
  • Fix typos or clarify existing documentation
  • Add examples and tutorials
  • Improve API documentation
  • Translate documentation to other languages
Follow the same fork, branch, and pull request workflow as code contributions.

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Communication Channels

Connect with the Zeal community:

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GitHub

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Chat

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Social Media

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Email

For private communication, email [email protected]

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Development Workflow

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Keeping Your Fork Updated

Regularly sync your fork with upstream: 
git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main

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Building and Testing

Before submitting your pull request:
  1. Build the project:
cmake -B build
cmake --build build
  1. Run the tests:
ctest --test-dir build
  1. Test your changes manually
See the building and testing guides for more details.

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Code Ownership

The project uses a CODEOWNERS file to automatically assign pull request reviewers. Currently, @trollixx is the primary maintainer.

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License

By contributing to Zeal, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. All source files should include the following header: 
// Copyright (C) Oleg Shparber, et al. <https://zealdocs.org>
// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later

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Project Information

  • Project: Zeal
  • Version: 0.8.0
  • Author: Oleg Shparber
  • Copyright: © 2013-2026 Oleg Shparber and other contributors
  • License: GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Homepage: zealdocs.org
  • Repository: github.com/zealdocs/zeal

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Additional Resources

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Recognition

All contributors are recognized in the project’s commit history and GitHub contributors list. Significant contributions may be acknowledged in release notes. Thank you for contributing to Zeal!

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