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Welcome to the Zequel contributor guide! Whether you’re fixing bugs, adding features, or improving documentation, your contributions are appreciated.

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Ways to Contribute

Report Bugs

Found an issue? Open a bug report on GitHub with steps to reproduce.

Suggest Features

Have an idea? Submit a feature request describing your use case.

Write Code

Fix bugs, add features, or improve performance with pull requests.

Improve Docs

Help others by improving documentation and guides.

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Quick Start

1

Fork and Clone

Fork the Zequel repository and clone it locally:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/zequel.git
cd zequel
2

Install Dependencies

Install all required dependencies using npm:
npm install
This will also run postinstall to install Electron app dependencies.
3

Start Development Server

Launch the development server with hot reload:
npm run dev
The app will open automatically with developer tools available.
4

Make Your Changes

Create a feature branch and start coding:
git checkout -b feat/my-feature
Follow the project structure and coding conventions.
5

Test Your Changes

Run type checking and tests before committing:
npm run typecheck
npm run test:unit
6

Submit a Pull Request

Push your branch and open a PR against main with a clear description of your changes.

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Development Workflow

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Branch Strategy

Never commit directly to main. Always create a feature or fix branch and open a pull request.
Branch naming conventions:
  • feat/feature-name - New features
  • fix/bug-description - Bug fixes
  • chore/task-name - Maintenance tasks
  • docs/topic - Documentation updates

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Commit Guidelines

Zequel uses Conventional Commits enforced by a Git hook: 
# Format
<type>(<scope>): <description>

# Examples
feat: add dark mode support
fix(sidebar): resolve tree expand bug
chore(deps): update electron to v33
docs: improve connection guide
Allowed types: feat, fix, chore, docs, style, refactor, perf, test, build, ci, revert

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Pre-commit Hooks

Husky runs these checks before each commit: 
npm run typecheck  # Type check main and renderer
npm run test:unit  # Run unit tests
If checks fail, the commit will be rejected. Fix issues before committing.

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Code Review Process

1

Automated Checks

GitHub Actions will run tests and type checking on your PR.
2

Maintainer Review

A maintainer will review your code for quality and correctness.
3

Address Feedback

Make requested changes by pushing additional commits to your branch.
4

Merge

Once approved, a maintainer will merge your PR into main.

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Getting Help

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Code of Conduct

Be respectful, inclusive, and constructive in all interactions. We’re building this together.

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Next Steps

Development Setup

Set up your development environment

Project Structure

Learn the codebase organization

Architecture

Understand Electron architecture

Testing Guide

Write and run tests

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