Contributing to LacePHP

Thank you for considering a contribution to LacePHP! Whether you want to fix a bug, add a feature, improve performance or enhance the documentation, your help makes the framework stronger.

Why Contribute?

  • Improve the tools you rely on.

  • Give back to the community.

  • Learn best practices in open-source PHP development.

Getting Started

  1. Fork the repository on GitHub: https://github.com/OpenSourceAfrica/LacePHP

  2. Clone your fork locally:

    git clone git@github.com:<your-username>/LacePHP.git
cd LacePHP

  3. Install dependencies and tools:

    composer install
npm install       # if docs use a local build tool

  4. Create a feature branch:

    git checkout -b feature/describe-your-change

Code Contributions

Coding Standards

  • Follow PSR-12 (indent with 4 spaces, camelCase for methods, StudlyCaps for classes).

  • Keep methods short and focused (single responsibility).

  • Add or update unit tests for any new logic (use phpunit).

Branch & Commit

  • Use descriptive branch names: feature/add-blueprint-support, bugfix/offsetget-type

  • Write clear commit messages: - Title (50 characters max) - Blank line - Detailed description if necessary

Testing

  • Ensure all tests pass locally:

    vendor/bin/phpunit

  • If you add new functionality, include tests under tests/.

Pull Request

  1. Push your branch to your fork:

    git push origin feature/describe-your-change

  2. Create a Pull Request against the main branch of the upstream repo.

  3. In your PR description, explain: - What problem you’re solving - How you tested it - Any backward-compatibility considerations

  4. Address review feedback by updating your branch; the PR will update automatically.

Documentation Contributions

Our docs live in reStructuredText under manual/documentation/. To improve them:

  1. Locate the .rst file you wish to update (e.g. routing.rst, models.rst).

  2. Edit or add content following the existing style (headings, code blocks).

  3. Build the docs locally to preview (if you have Sphinx installed):

    pip install sphinx
cd manual
make html

    Then open _build/html/index.html in your browser.

  4. Test that your changes render correctly, with no syntax errors.

  5. Commit, push and open a PR as described above, referencing the documentation area.

Best Practices

  • One change per PR: keep PRs focused.

  • Reference issues: if your work addresses a GitHub issue, mention it (Fixes #123).

  • Be polite and patient: maintainers are volunteers—reviews may take a little time.

Code of Conduct

All contributors must adhere to our [Code of Conduct](https://github.com/OpenSourceAfrica/LacePHP/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md). Be respectful, inclusive and constructive in all communications.

Thank you for helping make LacePHP better!