Contributing¶

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Bootstrap Coding Skills! This guide will help you get started with contributing to our learning resources designed for new developers.

🎯 Our Mission¶

This site provides simple, minimal, and concise instructions to help new developers get started with essential tools and languages. Our goal is to give learners a solid foundation of the basics, help them become minimally productive quickly, and then point them toward resources for continued learning.

🤝 How to Contribute¶

Types of Contributions We Welcome¶

Content Improvements: Fix typos, clarify explanations, improve examples
New Exercises: Add practice exercises that reinforce core concepts
Better Examples: Provide clearer, more beginner-friendly code examples
Bug Reports: Report issues with existing content or broken links
Accessibility: Improve readability and accessibility for new learners

What We're Looking For¶

Good Contributions:

✅ Simple, clear explanations that beginners can understand
✅ Practical examples that new developers will actually use
✅ Step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow
✅ Corrections to outdated or incorrect information

Contributions to Avoid:

❌ Advanced topics that overwhelm beginners
❌ Complex explanations when simple ones work better
❌ Tools or techniques that aren't industry standard
❌ Content that assumes significant prior knowledge

� Content Standards¶

Writing Guidelines¶

Keep it simple: Use clear, straightforward language
Be concise: Prefer shorter explanations over longer ones
Be practical: Focus on what new developers actually need
Be encouraging: Remember your audience is just starting out

Technical Guidelines¶

Git section: Focus on essential daily commands and concepts
Java section: Cover basic syntax, data structures, and clean code practices
Code examples: Should be runnable and demonstrate real concepts
Prerequisites: Clearly state what knowledge is assumed

Content Structure¶

Each learning section should follow this pattern:

Why learn this? - Motivation and context
Basic concepts - Core ideas explained simply
Hands-on practice - Exercises and examples
Next steps - Where to learn more

🛠️ Development Setup¶

Getting Started¶

Fork the Repository

# Click the "Fork" button on GitHub, then clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/bootstrap.git
cd bootstrap

Set Up Development Environment

# Install dependencies and set up the project
make setup

# Start the development server to preview changes
make serve

Create a Branch

git checkout -b improvement/description-of-change

Making Changes¶

Edit content in the docs/ directory
Preview changes at http://localhost:8000
Test thoroughly - make sure all examples work
Commit your changes with a clear message

Submitting Contributions¶

Push your branch: git push origin your-branch-name
Create a Pull Request on GitHub
Describe your changes clearly in the PR description
Wait for review - we'll provide feedback and suggestions

📁 Repository Structure¶

docs/
├── index.md                    # Homepage
├── getting-started.md          # Setup and learning guide
├── git/                        # Git learning section
│   ├── index.md               # Git overview
│   ├── interactive-learning.md # Using learngitbranching.js.org
│   ├── staging-commits.md     # Basic Git workflow
│   ├── gitignore.md          # File management
│   ├── merge-conflicts.md     # Conflict resolution
│   └── reference.md          # Git quick reference
├── java/                      # Java learning section
│   ├── index.md              # Java overview
│   ├── setup.md              # Environment setup
│   ├── syntax.md             # Basic syntax and data types
│   ├── data-structures.md    # Arrays, Lists, Maps
│   ├── idioms.md             # Best practices
│   └── reference.md          # Java quick reference
└── contributing.md           # This file

✅ Quality Checklist¶

Before submitting your contribution, please check:

Content Quality¶

[ ] Content is appropriate for beginners
[ ] Examples are simple and practical
[ ] Code examples are tested and work correctly
[ ] Links are functional and point to reliable resources
[ ] Language is clear and encouraging

Technical Quality¶

[ ] Markdown formatting is correct
[ ] Code blocks specify the correct language
[ ] File paths and commands are accurate
[ ] No spelling or grammar errors

Testing¶

[ ] All code examples compile and run
[ ] Links work and go to the right destinations
[ ] Content renders correctly in the browser
[ ] Examples work on multiple platforms (when applicable)

🎯 Contribution Ideas¶

Content Improvements¶

Clarify confusing explanations - Make complex concepts simpler
Add missing examples - Provide practical code demonstrations
Update outdated information - Keep tools and versions current
Improve exercise instructions - Make practice exercises clearer

New Practice Exercises¶

Git practice scenarios - More hands-on conflict resolution examples
Java coding challenges - Simple programming problems for practice
Project ideas - Small applications beginners can build

Documentation Enhancements¶

Better error handling - Help learners troubleshoot common issues
Platform-specific instructions - Improve Windows/Mac/Linux compatibility
Visual aids - Diagrams or screenshots that help explain concepts

🔍 Review Process¶

What We Look For¶

Beginner Focus: Is this helpful for someone just starting out?
Clarity: Can a new developer follow these instructions?
Accuracy: Do the examples work as written?
Scope: Does this fit our "bootstrap" philosophy of basics-focused content?

Review Timeline¶

Initial Review: Within 1-2 days
Feedback: We'll provide specific suggestions for improvements
Follow-up: Usually 1-2 rounds of feedback before merging
Merge: Once approved, changes are deployed automatically

📞 Getting Help¶

Questions About Contributing¶

Open an Issue - For questions about content or technical issues
Email: [Your contact email if applicable]
Discussions - Use GitHub Discussions for broader questions

Before You Start¶

If you're planning a significant contribution (like a new section), please:

Open an issue first to discuss the idea
Check our roadmap to see if it fits our current direction
Ask questions if you're unsure about scope or approach

🙏 Recognition¶

Contributors are recognized in several ways:

Contributor list - Added to our contributors page
Commit history - Your contributions are permanently recorded
Community impact - Help new developers start their journey successfully

Thank you for helping make coding education more accessible! Every improvement, no matter how small, helps new developers succeed in their learning journey.