# Contributing to mempalace-code

Thanks for wanting to help. mempalace-code is open source and we welcome contributions of all sizes — from typo fixes to new features.

## Getting Started

```bash
git clone https://github.com/rergards/mempalace-code.git
cd mempalace-code
pip install -e ".[dev]"    # pytest, pyright, ruff, watchfiles
```

## Running Tests

```bash
pytest tests/ -v
```

All tests must pass before submitting a PR. Tests should run without API keys or network
access. `pyright` is installed with the dev extra for advisory type-checking; the current
zero-error target is tracked in the backlog.

## Running Benchmarks

```bash
# Quick test (20 questions, ~30 seconds)
python benchmarks/longmemeval_bench.py /path/to/longmemeval_s_cleaned.json --limit 20

# Full benchmark (500 questions, ~5 minutes)
python benchmarks/longmemeval_bench.py /path/to/longmemeval_s_cleaned.json
```

See [benchmarks/README.md](benchmarks/README.md) for data download instructions and reproduction guide.

## Project Structure

```
mempalace_code/     ← core package (see mempalace_code/README.md for module guide)
mempalace/          ← compatibility import namespace
benchmarks/         ← reproducible benchmark runners
hooks/              ← Claude Code auto-save hooks
examples/           ← usage examples
tests/              ← test suite
assets/             ← logo + brand
```

## PR Guidelines

1. Fork the repo and create a feature branch: `git checkout -b feat/my-thing`
2. Write your code
3. Add or update tests if applicable
4. Run `pytest tests/ -v` — everything must pass
5. Commit with a clear message following [conventional commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/):
   - `feat: add Notion export format`
   - `fix: handle empty transcript files`
   - `docs: update MCP tool descriptions`
   - `bench: add LoCoMo turn-level metrics`
6. Push to your fork and open a PR against `main`

## Code Style

- **Formatting**: [Ruff](https://docs.astral.sh/ruff/) with 100-char line limit (configured in `pyproject.toml`)
- **Naming**: `snake_case` for functions/variables, `PascalCase` for classes
- **Docstrings**: on all modules and public functions
- **Type hints**: where they improve readability
- **Dependencies**: minimize. Core: `lancedb>=0.17` + `sentence-transformers`. ChromaDB is a legacy optional extra (`.[chroma]`). Don't add new deps without discussion.

## Good First Issues

Check the [Issues](https://github.com/rergards/mempalace-code/issues) tab. Great starting points:

- **New chat formats**: Add import support for Cursor, Copilot, or other AI tool exports
- **Room detection**: Improve pattern matching in `room_detector_local.py`
- **Tests**: Increase coverage — especially for `knowledge_graph.py` and `palace_graph.py`
- **Entity detection**: Better name disambiguation in `entity_detector.py`
- **Docs**: Improve examples, add tutorials

## Architecture Decisions

If you're planning a significant change, open an issue first to discuss the approach. Key principles:

- **Verbatim first**: Never summarize user content. Store exact words.
- **Local first**: Everything runs on the user's machine. No cloud dependencies.
- **Zero API by default**: Core features must work without any API key.
- **Palace structure matters**: Wings, halls, and rooms aren't cosmetic — they drive a 34% retrieval improvement. Respect the hierarchy.

## Community

- **Discord**: [Join us](https://discord.com/invite/ycTQQCu6kn)
- **Issues**: Bug reports and feature requests welcome
- **Discussions**: For questions and ideas

## License

Apache 2.0 — your contributions will be released under the same license.
