CONTRIBUTING.md

Contributing to kheMessage

Thank you for your interest in contributing to kheMessage! This document provides guidelines for contributing.

How to Contribute

1. Fork the repository on GitHub
2. Clone your fork locally
3. Create a branch for your change: git checkout -b feature/my-feature or git checkout -b fix/my-fix
4. Make your changes following the code style below
5. Test your changes (see docs/TESTING.md)
6. Commit with a clear message: feat: add X or fix: resolve Y
7. Push to your fork and open a Pull Request

Code Style

• JavaScript: ES2020+, camelCase, async/await for async operations
• CSS: Use custom properties (--bg, --text, etc.) for theming
• localStorage: Wrap in try/catch
• Architecture: Keep everything in the single index.html file when possible
• Accessibility: Use semantic HTML and ARIA labels
• Naming: Follow existing conventions (e.g. blocksToHash, hashToBlocks)

Architecture Principles

1. Single-file first — Prefer keeping code in index.html
2. No dependencies — Avoid adding npm packages
3. Backwards compatible — Don't break existing URLs
4. Progressive enhancement — Core features work without JS
5. Accessibility — Semantic HTML, ARIA, keyboard navigation

Testing Expectations

Before submitting a PR:

• Test in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari
• Test both light and dark themes
• Test PWA (install, offline)
• Test keyboard navigation
• Run through the checklist in docs/TESTING.md for relevant areas

PR Guidelines

• Keep PRs focused; one feature or fix per PR when possible
• Add a clear description of what changed and why
• Reference any related issues
• Ensure no console errors or warnings

Documentation

• docs/ARCHITECTURE.md — System overview and diagrams
• docs/CODE_STRUCTURE.md — index.html section map
• docs/DEVELOPMENT.md — Local setup and where to add features
• docs/DEPLOYMENT.md — Vercel deployment
• docs/TESTING.md — Testing checklist

When you change behavior (storage, sharing, limits, encryption), update the relevant docs and README sections so the system remains self-explanatory.

Deployment Notes

• This is a static-only app. Do not add Edge Functions or serverless code.
• GitHub Actions deploys to Vercel only when repository secrets are configured.

Questions?

Open an issue for bugs, feature requests, or questions.