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Contributing

Guidelines for contributing to ConsultFlow.

Getting Started​

1. Fork the Repository​

# Fork on GitHub, then clone
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/consultflow.git
cd consultflow

2. Set Up Development Environment​

Follow the Installation Guide to set up:

  • Backend with MongoDB
  • Frontend with Next.js
  • Azure AD configuration

3. Create a Branch​

git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
# or
git checkout -b fix/bug-description

Development Workflow​

Running in Development​

Backend:

cd backend
npm run dev  # Runs with tsx watch

Frontend:

cd frontend
npm run dev  # Runs Next.js dev server

Documentation:

cd docs
npm start    # Runs Docusaurus

Code Style​

TypeScript:

  • Use strict mode
  • Define types/interfaces for all data
  • Avoid any where possible

React:

  • Functional components with hooks
  • Keep components focused (single responsibility)
  • Extract reusable logic to custom hooks

CSS:

  • Use Tailwind utilities primarily
  • Custom CSS for animations only
  • Follow dark theme color scheme

Commit Messages​

Follow conventional commits:

feat: add new workflow action type
fix: resolve token refresh issue
docs: update API reference
style: improve button animations
refactor: simplify workflow executor
test: add unit tests for MOM generator

Pull Request Process​

1. Before Submitting​

  • Code compiles without errors
  • All existing functionality works
  • New code follows existing patterns
  • Documentation updated if needed

2. PR Description Template​

## Description
Brief description of changes

## Type of Change
- [ ] Bug fix
- [ ] New feature
- [ ] Breaking change
- [ ] Documentation update

## Testing
How was this tested?

## Screenshots
If applicable, add screenshots

3. Review Process​

  1. Create PR against main branch
  2. Request review from maintainers
  3. Address feedback
  4. Squash and merge when approved

Code Guidelines​

Adding New Actions​

  1. Define action type in Workflow.ts:
export type WorkflowAction =
  | 'generate_mom'
  | 'send_email'
  | 'your_new_action'  // Add here
  1. Add to executor in workflowExecutor.ts:
case 'your_new_action':
  await this.executeYourAction(context)
  actionsExecuted.push('your_new_action')
  break
  1. Add to frontend in ActionSidebar.tsx:
const availableActions = [
  // ...existing actions
  {
    type: 'your_new_action',
    label: 'Your Action',
    icon: 'icon-name',
    description: 'What it does'
  }
]

  1. Add configuration UI in execution page

  2. Update documentation

Adding API Endpoints​

  1. Create controller in controllers/:
export const yourEndpoint = async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
  try {
    // Implementation
  } catch (error) {
    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed' })
  }
}
  1. Create route in routes/:
router.get('/your-endpoint', yourEndpoint)
  1. Register in index.ts:
app.use('/your-path', yourRoutes)
  1. Add to frontend api.ts:
export const yourApi = {
  getData: () => api.get('/your-path')
}

Adding Components​

// components/YourComponent.tsx
'use client'

import { useState } from 'react'

interface YourComponentProps {
  prop1: string
  onAction: () => void
}

export default function YourComponent({ prop1, onAction }: YourComponentProps) {
  const [state, setState] = useState('')
  
  return (
    <div className="your-component">
      {/* Implementation */}
    </div>
  )
}

Testing​

Manual Testing Checklist​

Before submitting, test:

  • Login/logout flow
  • Create workflow
  • Execute workflow with all actions
  • Check logs display
  • Error handling (invalid input)
  • Responsive design (mobile)

Future: Automated Testing​

Planned testing setup:

  • Jest for unit tests
  • React Testing Library for components
  • Supertest for API endpoints

Documentation​

Updating Docs​

  1. Edit files in docs/docs/
  2. Preview locally: npm start
  3. Ensure links work
  4. Check formatting

Adding New Pages​

  1. Create .md file in appropriate folder
  2. Add frontmatter:
---
sidebar_position: 1
---
  1. Update sidebars.ts if needed

Getting Help​

  • Issues: Report bugs or request features
  • Discussions: Ask questions or share ideas
  • Pull Requests: Submit contributions

Recognition​

Contributors will be:

  • Listed in project README
  • Credited in release notes
  • Part of the ConsultFlow community!
First Contribution?

Look for issues labeled good first issue - they're great starting points!