zero/CONTRIBUTING.md

# Contributing

Thanks for your interest in improving this project.

This project is currently in a controlled development phase. During this period,
most implementation work will be completed by the core team while the application
stabilizes. Community participation is still welcome, especially through bug
reports, feature requests, reproduction details, logs, and discussion on existing
issues.

Please read this policy before opening a pull request. Pull requests that do not
follow it may be closed without review.

## Current Contribution Policy

The project is not accepting unsolicited community pull requests by default while
the application is still reaching a stable baseline.

Community pull requests must be tied to an existing issue that has already been
reviewed and approved by the core team. Approval is shown by the `issue-approved`
label on the related issue.

If a pull request is opened before the related issue has the `issue-approved`
label, the pull request will be closed without review. Maintainers may ask the
author to continue the discussion on the issue instead.

Team members may open pull requests as part of the internal development cycle.
This does not indicate that the same issue is open for community implementation
unless the issue has been explicitly approved for outside contribution.

## How to Contribute

There are three primary ways to contribute:

1. Open a bug report with clear reproduction steps.
2. Open a feature request describing the problem, use case, and expected behavior.
3. Add useful context to an existing issue, such as logs, screenshots, examples,
   affected versions, or reproduction cases.

Please search existing issues before opening a new one. Duplicate or low-signal
issues may be closed so maintainers can focus on actionable reports.

## Issue First Requirement

All community pull requests require an approved parent issue.

Before starting implementation work:

1. Open an issue using the appropriate issue template.
2. Describe the bug, feature request, or functional change clearly.
3. Wait for the core team to review the issue.
4. Do not open a pull request unless the issue has the `issue-approved` label.

An approved issue means only that the specific issue has been accepted for work.
It does not approve unrelated future work, future pull requests, or future issues
from the same author. Each issue is reviewed case by case.

## Pull Request Requirements

Before opening a community pull request, make sure all of the following are true:

- The pull request links to an existing issue.
- The linked issue already has the `issue-approved` label.
- The pull request is focused on only that approved issue.
- The pull request explains what changed and why.
- The pull request includes tests or verification notes when appropriate.
- UI changes include screenshots or video when possible.
- The pull request does not include fixes, features, refactors, formatting
  changes, or other work outside the approved issue scope unless that expansion
  was discussed with and approved by project team members.

Use `Fixes #123`, `Closes #123`, or another clear link in the pull request
description so maintainers can confirm the approved parent issue.

Pull requests that include unrelated changes, broad rewrites, formatting-only
changes, or unapproved feature work may be closed without review. Scope drift
will be rejected or called out for correction before a pull request can be
approved.

## Project Consistency

Pull requests should stay within the project's existing technical direction.
Changes that introduce a new implementation language, shift existing code away
from the core language used by the project, or add a new language/runtime to the
codebase are unlikely to be accepted unless they were discussed and approved by
maintainers before implementation.

The same applies to dependency changes. Pull requests that replace, rebase, or
significantly restructure the project's dependencies without prior discussion are
likely to be rejected. A preference-based explanation such as "this is better" is
not enough. Dependency changes need a clear project benefit, such as fixing a
specific bug, addressing a security issue, improving compatibility, or supporting
an approved feature.

## What We Prioritize

The core team will prioritize:

- Bug reports with clear reproduction steps.
- Functional defects that affect current users.
- Feature requests that align with the project roadmap.
- Requests that explain the user problem and expected behavior.
- Reports with logs, screenshots, test cases, or other concrete evidence.

Most approved implementation work will be completed by team members until the
project reaches a more stable status.

## What We Are Not Prioritizing

The project is not currently prioritizing:

- Unsolicited implementation pull requests.
- Pull requests without an approved parent issue.
- Typo-only changes.
- Formatting-only changes.
- Refactors without a clear functional benefit.
- Large rewrites that were not discussed with maintainers first.
- New features that have not been approved through an issue.

## Submitting a Bug Report

When filing a bug report, please include:

- The version, branch, or commit you are using.
- Your operating system and relevant environment details.
- Steps to reproduce the issue.
- Expected behavior.
- Actual behavior.
- Relevant logs, screenshots, or error messages.
- A minimal reproduction case when possible.

Clear bug reports are the most useful way to help the project during this phase.

## Submitting a Feature Request

When filing a feature request, please include:

- The problem you are trying to solve.
- The behavior or functionality you are requesting.
- Why the request belongs in this project.
- Any alternatives or workarounds you have considered.
- Examples, screenshots, or prior discussion if relevant.

Please do not begin implementation until the issue has been reviewed and marked
with the `issue-approved` label.

## Review Expectations

Maintainers may close issues or pull requests that do not follow these guidelines.
This is not a judgment on the contributor; it is part of keeping the development
cycle focused while the project stabilizes.

If an issue or pull request is closed, the best next step is usually to clarify
the issue, provide more evidence, or wait for the project to reach a more open
contribution phase.

## Getting Help

If you are unsure whether a change is appropriate, open an issue first and ask.
Please keep discussion focused, specific, and respectful of maintainer time.