Contributing Guidelines

Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/chamals3n4/OpenATS/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Getting Started

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Important Rules

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Git Workflow

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Before Starting Any Work

git checkout main
git pull upstream main
git push origin main

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Creating a New Branch

git checkout -b feature/task-name

• feature/candidate-filtering
• feature/email-templates
• feature/assessment-builder

git checkout -b fix/bug-name

• fix/login-redirect
• fix/job-posting-validation
• fix/assessment-scoring

git checkout -b docs/description

• docs/api-endpoints
• docs/setup-guide

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Making Changes

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1. Work on Your Code

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2. Test Your Changes

cd web
pnpm dev

cd api
pnpm dev

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3. Database Schema Changes

cd api
pnpm drizzle-kit generate  # Generate migration files
pnpm drizzle-kit migrate   # Apply migrations locally

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Committing Changes

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Commit Message Format

git add .
git commit -m "brief description of what you did"

• Add candidate filtering by skills
• Fix job posting validation error
• Update assessment scoring logic
• Refactor authentication middleware

• update
• fix bug
• changes
• wip

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Commit Best Practices

1. Keep commits atomic - One logical change per commit
2. Write descriptive messages - Explain what and why, not how
3. Test before committing - Ensure your code works
4. Don’t commit secrets - Never commit .env files or API keys
5. Include migration files - Always commit generated Drizzle migrations

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Pushing Your Changes

git push origin feature/task-name

git push origin feature/task-name

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Creating a Pull Request

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1. Go to GitHub

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2. Create PR from Your Branch

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3. Fill Out PR Template

• Add candidate skill filtering feature
• Fix assessment scoring bug

• What changes you made
• Why you made them
• How to test the changes
• Screenshots (if UI changes)
• Related issue numbers (if applicable)

## Summary
Adds filtering functionality to the candidates page, allowing users to filter by skills.

## Changes
- Added skill filter component to candidates page
- Updated API endpoint to support skill filtering
- Added database query optimization for skill lookups

## Testing
1. Navigate to candidates page
2. Select skills from the filter dropdown
3. Verify candidates are filtered correctly

## Screenshots
[Attach screenshots here]

## Related Issues
Closes #123

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4. Request Review

• Approve and merge it
• Request changes
• Ask questions for clarification

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5. Address Feedback

# Make the requested changes
git add .
git commit -m "Address PR feedback: update validation logic"
git push origin feature/task-name

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Code Style Guidelines

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TypeScript

• Use TypeScript for all new code
• Leverage type safety - avoid any types
• Use interfaces for object shapes
• Export types from schema files

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Frontend (Next.js)

• Use functional components with hooks
• Follow the existing component structure
• Use Tailwind CSS for styling
• Use shadcn/ui components when available

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Backend (Express)

• Use async/await for asynchronous operations
• Implement proper error handling
• Validate input with Zod schemas
• Use Drizzle ORM for database operations

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File Organization

api/
├── src/
│   ├── db/
│   │   └── schema/      # Database schemas
│   ├── routes/          # API routes
│   ├── middleware/      # Express middleware
│   └── server.ts        # Entry point
├── drizzle/             # Migration files (auto-generated)
└── package.json

web/
├── app/                 # Next.js app directory
├── components/          # React components
├── lib/                 # Utilities
└── package.json

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Database Migrations

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1. Modify Schema Files

// api/src/db/schema/jobs.ts
export const jobs = pgTable("jobs", {
  // Add new column
  isRemote: boolean("is_remote").default(false),
});

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2. Generate Migration

cd api
pnpm drizzle-kit generate

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3. Apply Migration Locally

pnpm drizzle-kit migrate

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4. Commit Both Schema and Migration

git add src/db/schema/jobs.ts
git add drizzle/0004_new_migration.sql
git add drizzle/meta/
git commit -m "Add isRemote field to jobs table"

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Common Tasks

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Syncing Your Fork

git checkout main
git pull upstream main
git push origin main

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Rebasing Your Branch

git checkout main
git pull upstream main
git checkout feature/your-branch
git rebase main

git push origin feature/your-branch --force-with-lease

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Stashing Changes

git stash
git checkout other-branch
# Do work...
git checkout original-branch
git stash pop

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Getting Help

• Discord: Join our community Discord server
• GitHub Issues: Ask questions in issue comments
• Discussions: Use GitHub Discussions for general questions

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Code Review Process

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What Reviewers Look For

1. Code Quality
   • Clean, readable code
   • Proper error handling
   • Type safety
2. Testing
   • Code has been tested locally
   • Edge cases are handled
3. Documentation
   • Code comments for complex logic
   • Updated docs if needed
4. Best Practices
   • Follows project conventions
   • No security vulnerabilities
   • Database migrations included (if applicable)

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Timeline

• Initial review: Usually within 2-3 days
• Follow-up reviews: 1-2 days after updates
• Merge: After approval from maintainers

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License

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Recognition

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Next Steps

• Check open issues for tasks to work on
• Look for issues labeled good first issue if you’re new
• Join our community channels to connect with other contributors