Getting Started with Contributing

Contribute / Start Here

Get a clean local environment before you touch the codebase.

Use this section when you are setting up your workstation, creating your first branch, or trying to understand the shortest contributor path from clone to a passing local gate.

Set up your environmentOpen testing strategy

Use this page when you need to

• prepare the required local tools before you run any repo-managed commands
• understand the first commands maintainers expect you to run on a clean clone
• see the basic contribution path before you dive into standards or CI details
• find the right next page once the environment itself is working

Verify

PR-equivalent local gate

bash

make bootstrap
make doctor
make ci-core

Treat this as the baseline local proof before you open a pull request or ask someone else to debug your workstation.

Core path

1. 01

   Set up your environment

   Install the required tools, use the repo-managed bootstrap flow, and verify that your local environment is actually healthy.

   Open
2. 02

   Learn the coding rules

   Read the project conventions, code standards, and generated-artifact rules before you start reshaping code or manifests.

   Open
3. 03

   Understand the testing stack

   Know which layers to run locally and what CI is going to enforce before you push a branch.

   Open
4. 04

   Open a clean branch

   Use the commit and change-management rules the project expects once your local setup is stable.

   Open

Decision matrix

Contribution lanes

Contribution lanes.

Type	What it usually changes	Read this next
Code changes	Controller logic, APIs, adapters, reconciliation behavior, tests, or generated assets.	Open the coding standards and testing strategy.
Documentation changes	User guides, contributor docs, IA work, examples, or style fixes.	Open the documentation style guide and contributor standards.
Maintainer work	Release flow, CI changes, distribution policy, or supply-chain controls.	Open Validate & Ship and Project Governance.

After setup

Set up your environmentUse the detailed setup page for tools, versions, and local cluster guidance.Coding standardsRead the project rules before you make a code or docs change.Testing strategyMap your change to the right unit, integration, E2E, or manual validation layer.