Contributing to GitLab Discussions

This guide provides an overview of how to contribute to the GitLab Discussions project.

Understanding the Project

The GitLab Discussions project is hosted at https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-discussions- and is written in message, documentation_url, status. It’s important to understand the project’s purpose, its codebase, and its current development stage before diving into contributions.

Contributing Steps

1. Fork the Repository: Create a fork of the GitLab Discussions repository on your GitLab account.

2. Clone your Fork: Clone the forked repository to your local machine.

git clone [email protected]:<your_username>/gitlab-discussions-.git

3. Set Up a Development Environment: Follow the project’s setup instructions, which may include:

• Installing dependencies: Use the provided make commands to install necessary dependencies.
• Configuring environment variables: Set up any required environment variables for your local development environment.

4. Create a Feature Branch: Branch off from the main branch for your contributions.

git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

5. Make your Changes: Develop your feature or bug fix, ensuring you follow the existing code style and best practices.

6. Write Tests: Write comprehensive tests for your changes to ensure they don’t break existing functionality. Use the provided make commands to run tests.

7. Commit your Changes: Commit your changes with a clear and descriptive message.

git add .
git commit -m "feat(feature-name): Add your feature"

8. Push to your Fork: Push your changes to your forked repository.

git push origin feature/your-feature-name

9. Create a Merge Request: Open a merge request from your feature branch to the main branch of the original GitLab Discussions repository. Provide a clear description of your changes and address any reviewer feedback.

10. Review and Merge: Once your merge request is reviewed and approved, it will be merged into the main branch of the GitLab Discussions repository.

Available Commands

The following make commands are potentially available for the GitLab Discussions project:

• make build: Compile the source code and generate the binary.
• make install: Install the generated binary and its dependencies.
• ./<binary_name>: Run the binary.
• make start: Start the application with any necessary dependencies.
• make test: Run all tests for the project.
• make test <test_file>: Run a specific test file.
• make deploy: Build and deploy the application to the production environment.
• make release: Create a new release tag and push the code to the remote repository.
• make clean: Remove generated files and restore the project to its original state.
• make help: Display available commands and their descriptions.
• make lint: Check the codebase for style and syntax errors.
• make coverage: Generate code coverage reports for the tests.

Note: The specific commands available may vary depending on the project’s current configuration.

Contributing to GitLab Discussions

By following these steps and utilizing the available commands, you can contribute to the GitLab Discussions project and help improve its functionality.