veryroundbird.house
1# tangled contributing guide
2
3## commit guidelines
4
5We follow a commit style similar to the Go project. Please keep commits:
6
7* **atomic**: each commit should represent one logical change
8* **descriptive**: the commit message should clearly describe what the
9change does and why it's needed
10
11### message format
12
13```
14<service/top-level directory>: <affected package/directory>: <short summary of change>
15
16
17Optional longer description can go here, if necessary. Explain what the
18change does and why, especially if not obvious. Reference relevant
19issues or PRs when applicable. These can be links for now since we don't
20auto-link issues/PRs yet.
21```
22
23Here are some examples:
24
25```
26appview: state: fix token expiry check in middleware
27
28The previous check did not account for clock drift, leading to premature
29token invalidation.
30```
31
32```
33knotserver: git/service: improve error checking in upload-pack
34```
35
36The affected package/directory can be truncated down to just the relevant dir
37should it be far too long. For example `pages/templates/repo/fragments` can
38simply be `repo/fragments`.
39
40### general notes
41
42- PRs get merged "as-is" (fast-forward) -- like applying a patch-series
43using `git am`. At present, there is no squashing -- so please author
44your commits as they would appear on `master`, following the above
45guidelines.
46- Use the imperative mood in the summary line (e.g., "fix bug" not
47"fixed bug" or "fixes bug").
48- Try to keep the summary line under 72 characters, but we aren't too
49fussed about this.
50- Don't include unrelated changes in the same commit.
51- Avoid noisy commit messages like "wip" or "final fix"—rewrite history
52before submitting if necessary.
53
54## proposals for bigger changes
55
56Small fixes like typos, minor bugs, or trivial refactors can be
57submitted directly as PRs.
58
59For larger changes—especially those introducing new features, significant
60refactoring, or altering system behavior—please open a proposal first. This
61helps us evaluate the scope, design, and potential impact before implementation.
62
63### proposal format
64
65Create a new issue titled:
66
67```
68proposal: <affected scope>: <summary of change>
69```
70
71In the description, explain:
72
73- What the change is
74- Why it's needed
75- How you plan to implement it (roughly)
76- Any open questions or tradeoffs
77
78We'll use the issue thread to discuss and refine the idea before moving
79forward.