Roo-Code/CONTRIBUTING.md

Contributing to Roo Code

We're thrilled you're interested in contributing to Roo Code. Whether you're fixing a bug, adding a feature, or improving our docs, every contribution makes Roo Code smarter! To keep our community vibrant and welcoming, all members must adhere to our Code of Conduct.

Join Our Community

We strongly encourage all contributors to join our Discord community! Being part of our Discord server helps you:

• Get real-time help and guidance on your contributions
• Connect with other contributors and core team members
• Stay updated on project developments and priorities
• Participate in discussions that shape Roo Code's future
• Find collaboration opportunities with other developers

Reporting Bugs or Issues

Bug reports help make Roo Code better for everyone! Before creating a new issue, please search existing ones to avoid duplicates. When you're ready to report a bug, head over to our issues page where you'll find a template to help you with filling out the relevant information.

🔐 Important: If you discover a security vulnerability, please use the Github security tool to report it privately.

Deciding What to Work On

Looking for a good first contribution? Check out issues in the "Issue [Unassigned]" section of our Roo Code Issues Github Project. These are specifically curated for new contributors and areas where we'd love some help!

We also welcome contributions to our documentation! Whether it's fixing typos, improving existing guides, or creating new educational content - we'd love to build a community-driven repository of resources that helps everyone get the most out of Roo Code. You can click "Edit this page" on any page to quickly get to the right spot in Github to edit the file, or you can dive directly into https://github.com/RooVetGit/Roo-Code-Docs.

If you're planning to work on a bigger feature, please create a feature request first so we can discuss whether it aligns with Roo Code's vision.

Development Setup

1. Clone the repo:

   git clone https://github.com/RooVetGit/Roo-Code.git
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm run install:all
   

3. Start the webview (Vite/React app with HMR):

   npm run dev
   

4. Debug: Press F5 (or Run → Start Debugging) in VSCode to open a new session with Roo Code loaded.

Changes to the webview will appear immediately. Changes to the core extension will require a restart of the extension host.

Alternatively you can build a .vsix and install it directly in VSCode:

npm run build

A .vsix file will appear in the bin/ directory which can be installed with:

code --install-extension bin/roo-cline-<version>.vsix

Writing and Submitting Code

Anyone can contribute code to Roo Code, but we ask that you follow these guidelines to ensure your contributions can be smoothly integrated:

1. Keep Pull Requests Focused

   • Limit PRs to a single feature or bug fix
   • Split larger changes into smaller, related PRs
   • Break changes into logical commits that can be reviewed independently

2. Code Quality

   • All PRs must pass CI checks which include both linting and formatting
   • Address any ESLint warnings or errors before submitting
   • Respond to all feedback from Ellipsis, our automated code review tool
   • Follow TypeScript best practices and maintain type safety

3. Testing

   • Add tests for new features
   • Run npm test to ensure all tests pass
   • Update existing tests if your changes affect them
   • Include both unit tests and integration tests where appropriate

4. Commit Guidelines

   • Write clear, descriptive commit messages
   • Reference relevant issues in commits using #issue-number

5. Before Submitting

   • Rebase your branch on the latest main
   • Ensure your branch builds successfully
   • Double-check all tests are passing
   • Review your changes for any debugging code or console logs

6. Pull Request Description

   • Clearly describe what your changes do
   • Include steps to test the changes
   • List any breaking changes
   • Add screenshots for UI changes

Contribution Agreement

By submitting a pull request, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the same license as the project (Apache 2.0).