| # Contributing | |
| Thank you for contributing to the Nova R&D blueprint. Please read AGENTS.md first. | |
| ## Quick Start | |
| - Fork/clone the repo and create a branch from `develop`: | |
| - `git checkout develop && git pull` | |
| - `git checkout -b feature/<short-purpose>` | |
| - Keep commits small and frequent; use Conventional Commits. | |
| - Open a PR to `develop` with a clear summary and links to ADRs. | |
| ## Branching Model | |
| - `main`: stable, tagged releases only. | |
| - `develop`: integration branch; all PRs land here first. | |
| - `feature/*`: focused changes; rebase on `develop` as needed. | |
| - `release/*`: prep releases; docs, versioning, final checks. | |
| - `hotfix/*`: urgent fixes off `main`. | |
| ## Commits & PRs | |
| - Format: `type(scope): subject` (types: feat, fix, docs, chore, refactor, test). | |
| - Body: what/why, notable tradeoffs, references to ADRs/issues, affected paths. | |
| - PR checklist: | |
| - Receipts updated (`13_receipts/`), indices linked, templates followed | |
| - Evals/Metrics touched documented (`08_evals/`, `06_metrics/`) | |
| - Screenshots/snippets for major doc changes | |
| ## Documentation & Tracking | |
| - Use `04_decisions/ADR-TEMPLATE.md` for decisions; one per decision. | |
| - Use `05_experiments/EXPERIMENT_TEMPLATE.md`; ensure reproducibility. | |
| - Append logs to `03_research_logs/` (timestamped). Do not rewrite. | |
| - Validate JSON receipts against `13_receipts/SCHEMA.json` when applicable. | |
| ## Style | |
| - Markdown: `#`/`##` headings, `-` lists, ~100‑col wrap, 2‑space indent. | |
| - Use code fences for commands/paths. | |
| ## Reviews | |
| - Two approvals preferred; at least one reviewer with context. | |
| - Keep PRs under ~300 lines of diff when possible; split otherwise. | |