Contributing to Vitte

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Vitte.

Overview

Vitte is an open-source programming language project including:

* Compiler
* Standard Library
* Tooling
* Documentation
* Editor Integrations
* Build Infrastructure
* Tests and Benchmarks

All contributions are welcome.

Ways to Contribute

You can contribute through:

* Bug reports
* Feature requests
* Documentation improvements
* Standard library additions
* Compiler development
* Tooling improvements
* Tests
* Performance optimizations
* Editor extensions

Before Starting

Please:

1. Search existing issues.
2. Check open pull requests.
3. Discuss major changes before implementation.
4. Keep changes focused and well documented.

Development Setup

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/vitte-lang/vitte.git
cd vitte

Build:

make

Run tests:

make test

Run formatting and validation:

make fmt
make lint

Coding Standards

General

* Prefer readability.
* Keep functions focused.
* Avoid unnecessary complexity.
* Write deterministic code whenever possible.
* Add comments only when they improve understanding.

Compiler

* Follow existing compiler architecture.
* Preserve diagnostic quality.
* Maintain deterministic outputs.
* Add tests for every new feature.

Standard Library

* APIs should be consistent.
* Documentation is required.
* Public APIs should remain stable.
* Include usage examples.

Documentation

Documentation changes should:

* Use clear language.
* Include examples.
* Explain edge cases.
* Stay synchronized with implementation.

Testing

Every contribution should include appropriate tests.

Examples:

* Unit tests
* Integration tests
* Regression tests
* Parser tests
* Semantic analysis tests
* Backend tests

Bug fixes should include a regression test whenever possible.

Commit Messages

Recommended format:

component: short summary
Detailed explanation of the change.

Examples:

parser: improve generic type parsing
borrowck: fix invalid lifetime propagation
stdlib/fs: add recursive directory traversal

Pull Requests

Before opening a pull request:

* Ensure the project builds successfully.
* Ensure tests pass.
* Update documentation.
* Add new tests if required.
* Keep pull requests focused.

Pull Request Checklist

* Builds successfully
* Tests pass
* Documentation updated
* No unrelated changes
* Commit history cleaned up

Reporting Bugs

Please include:

* Vitte version
* Operating system
* Architecture
* Reproduction steps
* Expected behavior
* Actual behavior
* Relevant logs

Feature Requests

Please describe:

* The problem being solved
* Proposed solution
* Alternative approaches
* Potential impact

Code of Conduct

Be respectful and constructive.

Harassment, personal attacks, discrimination, and disruptive behavior are not tolerated.

License

By contributing to Vitte, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the project’s license.

Thank you for helping improve Vitte.