From dc6f6eb8604cc9e333aabb625b5a35659f132f98 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Aman Varshney <amanvarshney.work@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2025 23:41:12 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] add contribution guide

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 create mode 100644 .github/CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing to Better-T-Stack
+
+Thank you for your interest in contributing to Better-T-Stack! This document provides guidelines and setup instructions for contributors.
+
+## Project Structure
+
+This repository is organized as a monorepo containing:
+
+- **CLI**: [`apps/cli`](apps/cli) - The scaffolding CLI tool (`create-better-t-stack`)
+- **Documentation**: [`apps/web`](apps/web) - Official website and documentation
+
+## Development Setup
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- Node.js 20+ 
+- Bun (recommended)
+- Git
+
+### Initial Setup
+
+1. **Clone the repository**
+   ```bash
+   git clone https://github.com/better-t-stack/create-better-t-stack.git
+   cd create-better-t-stack
+   ```
+
+2. **Install dependencies**
+   ```bash
+   bun install
+   ```
+
+### CLI Development
+
+1. **Navigate to CLI directory**
+   ```bash
+   cd apps/cli
+   ```
+
+2. **Link the CLI globally** (optional, for testing anywhere in your system)
+   ```bash
+   bun link
+   ```
+   Now you can use `create-better-t-stack` from anywhere in your system.
+
+3. **Start development server**
+   ```bash
+   bun dev:cli
+   ```
+   This runs the CLI in watch mode, automatically rebuilding on changes.
+
+### Web Development
+
+1. **Start the documentation website**
+   ```bash
+   bun dev:web
+   ```
+   This starts the Next.js development server for the documentation site.
+
+## Contribution Guidelines
+
+### Before You Start
+
+**Please ask before working on any new features!** We don't want to waste your time on features that might not align with the project's direction. Open an issue or discussion first to discuss your proposed changes.
+
+### Standard Contribution Steps
+
+1. **Create an issue** (if one doesn't exist)
+   - Describe the bug or feature request
+   - Include steps to reproduce (for bugs)
+   - Discuss the proposed solution
+
+2. **Fork the repository**
+
+3. **Create a feature branch**
+   ```bash
+   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
+   # or
+   git checkout -b fix/your-bug-fix
+   ```
+
+4. **Make your changes**
+   - Follow the existing code style
+   - Update documentation as needed
+
+5. **Test and format your changes**
+   ```bash
+   # For CLI changes
+   cd apps/cli
+   bun dev:cli
+   
+   # For web changes
+   bun dev:web
+   
+   # Format files
+   bun run format
+   
+   # Run type checks
+   bun check
+   ```
+
+6. **Add changeset** (for CLI-related changes)
+   ```bash
+   bunx changeset select create-better-t-stack
+   # Choose 'patch' for small fixes, 'minor' for features
+   # Never choose 'major'
+   ```
+
+7. **Commit your changes**
+   ```bash
+   git add .
+   git commit -m "feat(web): add your feature description"
+   # or
+   git commit -m "fix(cli): fix your bug description"
+   ```
+
+8. **Push to your fork**
+   ```bash
+   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
+   ```
+
+9. **Create a Pull Request**
+   - Link to the related issue
+   - Describe your changes
+
+### Testing
+
+- **Manual testing**: Test your changes manually to ensure everything works as expected
+- For CLI changes: Test with different configurations and options
+- For web changes: Ensure the site builds and displays correctly
+
+## Getting Help
+
+- Open an issue for bugs or feature requests
+- Join discussions for questions or ideas
+- Check existing issues and PRs for similar work
+- Join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/ZYsbjpDaM5) if you have any problems
+
+## License
+
+By contributing to Better-T-Stack, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the MIT License. 
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