# Contributing to GitPulse

Thank you for your interest in contributing to GitPulse! This document provides guidelines and instructions for contributing.

## Getting Started

### Prerequisites

- Rust 1.70 or later
- Cargo 1.70 or later
- Git

### Development Setup

1. Fork the repository on GitHub
2. Clone your fork locally:
   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/gitpulse.git
   cd gitpulse
   ```

3. Set up the development environment:
   ```bash
   cargo build
   cargo test
   ```

4. Create a branch for your changes:
   ```bash
   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
   ```

## Coding Standards

### Code Style

- Follow Rust standard formatting with `cargo fmt`
- Run `cargo clippy` to check for common issues
- Ensure all warnings are resolved

### Documentation

- Add docstrings to all public functions and types
- Update README.md for user-facing changes
- Add inline comments for complex logic

### Testing

- Write unit tests for new functionality
- Ensure all tests pass before submitting
- Aim for meaningful test coverage

## Submitting Changes

1. Commit your changes with a clear commit message:
   ```bash
   git commit -m "Add feature: brief description"
   ```

2. Push to your fork:
   ```bash
   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
   ```

3. Create a Pull Request against the main branch

4. Address any feedback from reviewers

## Reporting Issues

When reporting issues, please include:

- A clear description of the problem
- Steps to reproduce the issue
- Expected behavior vs actual behavior
- System information (OS, Rust version, etc.)
- Any relevant error messages

## Code of Conduct

This project follows the [Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/). By participating, you are expected to uphold this code.

## Questions?

If you have questions, feel free to open an issue for discussion.