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# Contributing to the UIM Protocol

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the Unified Intent Mediator (UIM) Protocol! This guide will help you get started with contributing to the project.

## Code of Conduct

By participating in this project, you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read it before contributing.

## Ways to Contribute

There are many ways to contribute to the UIM Protocol:

1. Code Contributions: Implement new features, fix bugs, or improve performance.
2. Documentation: Improve existing documentation or create new guides and tutorials.
3. Testing: Test the protocol in different environments and report issues.
4. Use Cases: Share how you're using the UIM Protocol in your projects.
5. Feedback: Provide feedback on the protocol design and implementation.
6. Community Support: Help answer questions and support other users.

## Getting Started

### Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

- Git
- Node.js (for JavaScript implementations)
- Python (for Python implementations)
- A code editor of your choice

### Setting Up the Development Environment

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

       git clone https://github.com/synaptiai/uim-protocol.git
       cd uim-protocol

3. Add the upstream repository as a remote:

       git remote add upstream https://github.com/synaptiai/uim-protocol.git

4. Create a new branch for your changes:

       git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

### Development Workflow

1. Make your changes in your feature branch.
2. Write or update tests for your changes.
3. Ensure all tests pass:

       npm test  # For JavaScript implementations
       pytest    # For Python implementations

4. Update documentation if necessary.
5. Commit your changes with a descriptive commit message:

       git commit -m "Add feature: your feature description"

6. Push your changes to your fork:

       git push origin feature/your-feature-name

7. Create a pull request from your fork to the main repository.

## Pull Request Guidelines

When submitting a pull request, please follow these guidelines:

1. One Pull Request Per Feature: Keep your pull requests focused on a single feature or bug fix.
2. Follow Coding Standards: Adhere to the coding standards used in the project.
3. Write Tests: Include tests for your changes.
4. Update Documentation: Update relevant documentation.
5. Descriptive Pull Request: Provide a clear description of your changes in the pull request.
6. Reference Issues: Reference any related issues in your pull request.

## Coding Standards

### JavaScript

- Use ES6+ features.
- Follow the Airbnb JavaScript Style Guide.
- Use async/await for asynchronous code.
- Document your code using JSDoc comments.

### Python

- Follow PEP 8 style guide.
- Use type hints.
- Document your code using docstrings.
- Use f-strings for string formatting.

## Documentation Guidelines

When contributing to documentation, please follow these guidelines:

1. Use clear and concise language.
2. Provide examples where appropriate.
3. Use proper Markdown formatting.
4. Check for spelling and grammar errors.
5. Ensure links are working.

## Issue Reporting

If you find a bug or have a feature request, please create an issue on GitHub. When creating an issue, please include:

1. A clear and descriptive title.
2. A detailed description of the issue or feature request.
3. Steps to reproduce the issue (for bugs).
4. Expected behavior and actual behavior (for bugs).
5. Screenshots or code snippets if applicable.
6. Environment information (OS, browser, version, etc.).

## Community Discussions

Join our community discussions:

- GitHub Discussions: For general questions and discussions.
- Issue Tracker: For bug reports and feature requests.
- Discord: For real-time discussions and community support.

## Governance

The UIM Protocol is governed by a steering committee that oversees the project's direction and development. For more information, see the Governance page.

## License

By contributing to the UIM Protocol, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the project's Apache License 2.0.

## Recognition

Contributors are recognized in the following ways:

1. Contributors List: All contributors are listed in the Contributors page.
2. Release Notes: Significant contributions are mentioned in release notes.
3. Maintainer Status: Regular contributors may be invited to become maintainers.

## Questions?

If you have any questions about contributing, please reach out to us through GitHub Discussions or Discord.

Thank you for contributing to the UIM Protocol!