Contributing to Cova

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

Table of Contents

• Code of Conduct
• Getting Started
• Development Workflow
• Documentation
• Issue Guidelines
• Pull Request Guidelines
• Code Style
• Testing

Code of Conduct

By participating in this project, you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please be respectful and considerate of others.

Getting Started

1. Fork the repository
2. Clone your fork:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/cova.git
   cd cova
   

3. Set up the development environment:

   # Install Rust (if not already installed)
   curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
   
   # Install development tools
   rustup component add rustfmt clippy
   

Development Workflow

1. Create a new branch for your feature/fix:

   git checkout -b type/area/description
   # Example: git checkout -b feat/algebra/vector-spaces
   

2. Make your changes following the Code Style guidelines

3. Run tests and checks:

   cargo test
   cargo fmt --all -- --check
   cargo clippy --all-targets --all-features -- -D warnings
   

4. Commit your changes following the Commit Message Format

5. Push your branch and create a Pull Request

Documentation

Harness provides two types of documentation that you should be familiar with:

API Documentation

The Rust API documentation for all crates can be viewed using:

just docs

This will build and open the Rust API documentation in your browser. This documentation is automatically generated from your code comments and should be kept up to date.

Book Documentation

The comprehensive book documentation can be viewed using:

just book

This will serve the book documentation locally and open it in your browser. The book includes detailed explanations of mathematical concepts, examples, and usage guides.

When contributing, please:

1. Keep API documentation up to date with your code changes
2. Update the book documentation if you add new features or change existing behavior
3. Add examples to both API docs and the book where appropriate
4. Ensure mathematical definitions and references are accurate

Issue Guidelines

When creating issues, please use the provided templates and follow these guidelines:

Title Format

type(area): brief description

Where:

• type is one of: feat, fix, refactor, docs, test, chore
• area is one of: algebra, space

Labels

Please use appropriate labels to categorize your issue:

• Area labels: area: algebra, area: space
• Priority labels: priority: critical/high/medium/low
• Type labels: type: enhancement, type: refactor
• Technical labels: tech: performance, tech: security, tech: testing

Pull Request Guidelines

1. Use the provided PR template
2. Ensure your PR title follows the format: type(area): description
3. Link related issues using closes #issue_number
4. Keep PRs focused and small when possible
5. Include tests for new features or bug fixes
6. Update documentation as needed

Code Style

• Follow Rust's official style guide
• Use rustfmt for formatting
• Run cargo clippy to catch common mistakes
• Document public APIs thoroughly
• Use meaningful variable and function names
• Keep functions focused and small

Testing

• Write unit tests for all new functionality
• Include examples in documentation
• Run all tests before submitting PRs
• Consider edge cases and error conditions

Commit Message Format

Follow this format for commit messages:

type(area): description

[optional body]

[optional footer]

Where:

• type is one of: feat, fix, refactor, docs, test, chore
• area is one of: algebra, space
• Description is a brief summary of changes
• Body provides additional context if needed
• Footer references issues or PRs

Questions?

If you have any questions, feel free to:

1. Open an issue with the question label
2. Join our community discussions
3. Contact the maintainers