CONTRIBUTING.md

Contributing to Multi-Lingual Product Catalog Translator

Thank you for your interest in contributing to this project! This document provides guidelines for contributing to the Multi-Lingual Product Catalog Translator.

🤝 How to Contribute

1. Fork and Clone

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

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/BharatMLStack.git
   cd BharatMLStack
   

2. Set Up Development Environment

Follow the setup instructions in the README.md to get your development environment running.

3. Create a Feature Branch

git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

4. Make Your Changes

• Write clean, documented code
• Follow the existing code style
• Add tests for new functionality
• Update documentation as needed

5. Test Your Changes

# Test backend
cd backend
python -m pytest

# Test frontend manually
cd ../frontend
streamlit run app.py

6. Commit Your Changes

Use conventional commit messages:

git commit -m "feat: add new translation feature"
git commit -m "fix: resolve translation accuracy issue"
git commit -m "docs: update API documentation"

7. Push and Create Pull Request

git push origin feature/your-feature-name

Then create a pull request on GitHub.

🐛 Reporting Issues

Bug Reports

When reporting bugs, please include:

• Environment: OS, Python version, browser
• Steps to reproduce: Clear, numbered steps
• Expected behavior: What should happen
• Actual behavior: What actually happens
• Screenshots: If applicable
• Error messages: Full error text/stack traces

Feature Requests

When requesting features, please include:

• Use case: Why is this feature needed?
• Proposed solution: How should it work?
• Alternatives considered: Other approaches you've thought of
• Additional context: Any other relevant information

📝 Code Style Guidelines

Python Code Style

• Follow PEP 8 guidelines
• Use type hints for all functions
• Write comprehensive docstrings
• Maximum line length: 88 characters (Black formatter)
• Use meaningful variable and function names

Commit Message Format

We use conventional commits:

• feat: - New features
• fix: - Bug fixes
• docs: - Documentation changes
• style: - Code style changes (formatting, etc.)
• refactor: - Code refactoring
• test: - Adding or updating tests
• chore: - Maintenance tasks

Documentation Style

• Use clear, concise language
• Include code examples where helpful
• Update relevant documentation with code changes
• Use proper Markdown formatting

🧪 Testing Guidelines

Backend Testing

• Write unit tests for all business logic
• Test error conditions and edge cases
• Mock external dependencies (AI models, database)
• Aim for high test coverage

Frontend Testing

• Test user workflows manually
• Verify responsiveness across devices
• Test error handling and edge cases
• Ensure accessibility compliance

🔍 Review Process

Pull Request Guidelines

• Keep PRs focused on a single feature/fix
• Write clear PR descriptions
• Include screenshots for UI changes
• Link related issues using keywords (fixes #123)
• Ensure all tests pass
• Request reviews from maintainers

Code Review Checklist

• Code follows style guidelines
• Tests are included and passing
• Documentation is updated
• No sensitive information is committed
• Performance impact is considered
• Security implications are reviewed

📚 Development Resources

AI/ML Components

• IndicTrans2 Documentation
• Hugging Face Transformers
• PyTorch Documentation

Web Development

• FastAPI Documentation
• Streamlit Documentation
• Pydantic Documentation

Deployment

• Docker Documentation
• Streamlit Cloud

🏷️ Release Process

Version Numbering

We follow semantic versioning (SemVer):

• MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
• MAJOR: Breaking changes
• MINOR: New features (backward compatible)
• PATCH: Bug fixes (backward compatible)

Release Checklist

• All tests pass
• Documentation is updated
• CHANGELOG.md is updated
• Version numbers are bumped
• Tag is created and pushed
• Release notes are written

🙋‍♀️ Getting Help

Community Support

• GitHub Issues: For bug reports and feature requests
• GitHub Discussions: For questions and general discussion
• Documentation: Check existing docs first

Maintainer Contact

• Create an issue for technical questions
• Use discussions for general inquiries
• Be patient and respectful in all interactions

📄 Code of Conduct

This project follows the Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct. By participating, you are expected to uphold this code.

Our Standards

• Be respectful: Treat everyone with kindness and respect
• Be inclusive: Welcome people of all backgrounds and experience levels
• Be constructive: Provide helpful feedback and suggestions
• Be patient: Remember that everyone is learning

Thank you for contributing to make this project better! 🚀