How to Contributing Guidelines

A CONTRIBUTING file tells your audience how to participate in your project. For example, you might include information on:

How to file a bug report (try using issue and pull request templates)
How to suggest a new feature
How to set up your environment and run tests
In addition to technical details, a CONTRIBUTING file is an opportunity to communicate your expectations for contributions, such as:

The types of contributions you’re looking for
Your roadmap or vision for the project
How contributors should (or should not) get in touch with you
Using a warm, friendly tone and offering specific suggestions for contributions (such as writing documentation, or making a website) can go a long way in making newcomers feel welcomed and excited to participate.

In the earliest stages of your project, your CONTRIBUTING file can be simple. You should always explain how to report bugs or file issues, and any technical requirements (like tests) to make a contribution.

Over time, you might add other frequently asked questions to your CONTRIBUTING file. Writing down this information means fewer people will ask you the same questions over and over again.

For more help with writing your CONTRIBUTING file, check out @nayafia’s contributing guide template or @mozilla’s “How to Build a CONTRIBUTING.md”.

Link to your CONTRIBUTING file from your README, so more people see it. If you place the CONTRIBUTING file in your project’s repository, GitHub will automatically link to your file when a contributor creates an issue or opens a pull request.