Contributing Guide

Thank you for your interest in contributing to JellyWatchParty!

Getting Started

1. Fork the repository on GitHub
2. Clone your fork:

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/JellyWatchParty.git
   cd JellyWatchParty
   

3. Set up development environment:

   just setup   # Configure git hooks (required once)
   just up
   

4. Create a branch:

   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
   

Code Style

Rust

Follow the Rust Style Guide:

• Use rustfmt for formatting
• Use clippy for linting
• Prefer descriptive variable names
• Document public functions

# Format code
cargo fmt

# Run linter
cargo clippy

C#

Follow C# Coding Conventions:

• Use PascalCase for public members
• Use camelCase for private members
• Prefix interfaces with I
• Document public APIs with XML comments

# Format code
dotnet format

JavaScript

• Use meaningful variable names
• Prefer const over let
• Avoid globals (use IIFE pattern)
• Comment complex logic

Commit Messages

Format:

type: brief description

Longer description if needed.

Closes #123

Types:

• feat: New feature
• fix: Bug fix
• docs: Documentation
• style: Formatting
• refactor: Code restructure
• test: Tests
• chore: Build/tooling

Examples:

feat: add participant count to room list

fix: prevent feedback loop in HLS buffering

docs: update installation instructions

Note: Do not add AI signature lines (Co-Authored-By: Claude etc.) to commits.

Pull Request Process

1. Before Submitting

• Code follows project style
• Tests pass (just test)
• Documentation updated
• Commit messages are clear
• Branch is up to date with main

2. Creating a PR

1. Push your branch:

   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
   

2. Open PR on GitHub

3. Fill out the PR template:
   • Description of changes
   • Related issues
   • Testing performed
   • Screenshots (if UI changes)

3. Code Review

• Respond to feedback promptly
• Make requested changes in new commits
• Don’t force-push during review
• Mark conversations resolved when addressed

4. Merging

• Maintainer will merge when approved
• Squash merge for clean history
• Delete branch after merge

What to Contribute

Good First Issues

Look for issues labeled good-first-issue:

• Documentation improvements
• Bug fixes with clear reproduction steps
• Small feature additions

Needed Contributions

Area	Examples
Documentation	Guides, examples, translations
Testing	Unit tests, integration tests
UI/UX	Accessibility, responsiveness
Security	Audit, hardening
Performance	Optimization, profiling

Feature Ideas

Before implementing:

1. Check existing issues
2. Open a discussion or issue
3. Get feedback on approach
4. Then implement

Development Guidelines

Adding New Features

1. Discuss first - Open an issue for significant changes
2. Keep it focused - One feature per PR
3. Document - Update relevant docs
4. Test - Manual testing at minimum

Bug Fixes

1. Reproduce first - Confirm the bug exists
2. Minimal fix - Don’t refactor unrelated code
3. Test the fix - Verify it works
4. Add regression test - If applicable

Documentation

• Keep docs in sync with code
• Use clear, simple language
• Include examples where helpful
• Update table of contents

Testing

Manual Testing Checklist

Before submitting:

• Create room works
• Join room works
• Play/pause sync works
• Seek sync works
• Leave room works
• Reconnection works
• Works in Chrome
• Works in Firefox

Automated Tests

# Rust tests
cd src/server
cargo test

# C# tests
cd src/plugins/jellyfin
dotnet test JellyWatchParty.Tests/JellyWatchParty.Tests.csproj

Continuous Integration

All pull requests are validated by GitHub Actions CI and must pass before merging. Run just fmt, just lint, just test, and just build locally to check before pushing. See CI/CD for the full pipeline (workflows, jobs, security scans, and how to fix common CI failures).

Code of Conduct

Be Respectful

• Welcome newcomers
• Be patient with questions
• Accept constructive criticism
• Focus on what’s best for the project

Be Professional

• No harassment or discrimination
• Keep discussions on-topic
• Respect others’ time

Report Issues

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior:

• Contact maintainers privately
• Provide specific details
• Allow time for investigation

Recognition

Contributors are recognized in:

• GitHub contributors list
• Release notes (for significant contributions)
• README acknowledgments (for major features)

Questions?

• Open a GitHub Discussion for general questions
• Open an Issue for bugs or feature requests
• Check existing issues and discussions first

License

By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the same license as the project.

Thank You!

Every contribution matters - from fixing typos to implementing features. Thank you for helping make JellyWatchParty better!