CONTRIBUTING.md

# Contributing to TalkingHeadBench

Thank you for your interest in improving TalkingHeadBench.

## Getting Started

1. Fork the repository and create a branch from `main`.
2. Keep your branch focused on one change set.
3. Open a pull request with a clear summary and testing notes.

## Local Setup

1. Create and activate a virtual environment.
2. Install dependencies:

```bash
pip install -e ".[dev]"
```

3. Run tests before opening a pull request:

```bash
pytest -v
```

## Development Guidelines

- Follow the existing project structure and naming conventions.
- Keep changes small and easy to review.
- Add or update tests for behavior changes.
- Update docs when API behavior, setup, or usage changes.

## Commit and Pull Request Guidelines

- Use clear, descriptive commit messages.
- Include context in your pull request description:
  - What changed
  - Why it changed
  - How it was tested
- Link related issues when applicable.

## Reporting Issues

When filing an issue, please include:

- Expected behavior
- Actual behavior
- Steps to reproduce
- Relevant logs or stack traces
- Environment details (OS, Python version, dependency versions)

## Security Issues

If you find a security issue, do not post sensitive details publicly. Contact the maintainers directly through GitHub first, and we will coordinate a private disclosure path.