Nov 19, 2024

Contribution Process

Your Guide to Contributing to Reality AI Lab Projects

Your Guide to Contributing to Reality AI Lab Projects

Contributing to Reality AI Lab is your opportunity to collaborate with a global community while advancing AI for education and career development. This guide will walk you through the steps to contribute code, documentation, or research work, including how to navigate the pull request process, code reviews, and our collaboration tools.

Step 1: Understand the Contribution Workflow

Contributions follow a standard open-source workflow to ensure smooth collaboration. Here's a high-level overview:

  1. Find an Issue: Choose a task or problem to work on from our GitHub repository.
  2. Fork the Repository: Create your own copy of the project.
  3. Make Changes: Develop features, fix bugs, or improve documentation.
  4. Submit a Pull Request (PR): Propose your changes to the original repository.
  5. Code Review: Collaborate with maintainers to refine and merge your work.

Step 2: Finding the Right Issue

All Reality AI Lab projects use GitHub to manage issues and tasks. Here's how to get started:

  • Visit the Issues section in the project repository.
  • Look for tasks labeled good first issue or help wanted—these are ideal for new contributors.
  • Read the issue description carefully and ask questions if clarification is needed by commenting on the issue.

Once you've decided, assign the issue to yourself (if permissions allow) or comment to let others know you're working on it.

Step 3: Setting Up Your Workspace

Follow the setup instructions from Article 1: Setting Up Your Development Environment to get the project running locally.

Step 4: Forking and Branching

  1. Fork the Repository:On the project GitHub page, click the Fork button to create a personal copy.
  1. Clone Your Fork:
  2. Use Git to clone your fork to your local system:
git clone <https://github.com/your-username/repository-name.git>cd repository-name
  1. bash
    git clone <https://github.com/your-username/repository-name.git>
    cd repository-name

  2. Create a Branch:
  3. Work on a separate branch to keep your changes organized. Name your branch descriptively, such as:
  4. bash
    git checkout -b feature/add-new-dashboard

Step 5: Making Changes

Contributing Code

  • Ensure your code is well-documented with clear comments.
  • Follow the project's coding style (check for .editorconfig or other style guides in the repo).

Improving Documentation

  • Check the /docs folder or README.md file for areas needing improvement.
  • Use Markdown syntax for clean, readable contributions.

Submitting Research Work

  • Add your research findings, proposals, or reports to the appropriate folder (e.g., /research).
  • Include clear explanations, references, and outcomes.

Step 6: Commit and Push Your Changes

  1. Stage and Commit Your Changes:
  2. Add your changes to Git and write a concise, meaningful commit message:
  3. bash
    git add .
    git commit -m "Add dashboard layout for admin view"

  4. Push Your Branch:
  5. Push your branch to your fork on GitHub:
  6. bash
    git push origin feature/add-new-dashboard

Step 7: Submitting a Pull Request (PR)

  1. Navigate to the original repository on GitHub.
  2. Click the New Pull Request button.
  3. Select your fork and branch as the source, and the original repository’s main branch as the target.
  4. Write a detailed description of your changes. Include:
    • What the PR addresses.
    • A link to the issue (if applicable).
    • Any additional context or screenshots.

Step 8: Code Review

Once your PR is submitted, maintainers will review your work. Here’s what to expect:

  • Feedback: You may be asked to make changes or explain your approach.
  • Collaboration: Engage in discussions to refine your contribution.
  • Approval: Once approved, the maintainer will merge your PR into the main branch.

Tips for Code Reviews:

  • Be open to feedback—code reviews are a learning opportunity.
  • Respond promptly to comments and resolve requested changes.
  • Check for automated checks (e.g., CI/CD tests) and ensure they pass.

Step 9: Collaboration Tools

Reality AI Lab uses the following tools to enhance collaboration:

  1. GitHub:
  2. Community Platform:
    • Join the Reality AI Lab Platform for real-time discussions and updates.
    • Ask for help, share progress, or discuss ideas with other contributors.
  3. Project Management Boards:
    • Many repositories include a project board to track tasks and progress.

Step 10: Best Practices for Contributors

  • Write Clean Code: Ensure readability and consistency.
  • Document Everything: Update related documentation for any code changes.
  • Test Your Work: Verify that your changes don’t break existing functionality.
  • Be Respectful: Collaborate professionally and respect all contributors’ efforts.

Common Questions About Contributions

Q: How do I get my PR merged faster?

  • Make sure your code follows the style guide and all tests pass.
  • Provide a thorough description of your changes.

Q: What if I’m stuck on an issue?

  • Comment on the issue for help.
  • Post on the 'AI Lab Forum' on the Reality AI Lab platform for community support

Q: Can I propose a new feature?

  • Yes! Open a new issue labeled 'feature request' and outline your idea.

Contributing to Reality AI Lab is a collaborative and rewarding experience. Every piece of code, documentation, or research you share helps advance our mission of creating impactful AI tools for education and career development.

Ready to contribute? Head over to our GitHub repository and get started today!

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