From 551e26ee7ed1161d4f19c115c42d574c1a845321 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Rishabh Sahni <rishabh.sahni@1mg.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2025 12:01:38 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] Added contributing.md

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+# Contributing to ThonHub
+
+Welcome to ThonHub! This guide will help you contribute to our GenAI-powered Hackathon Collaboration Hub.
+
+## Why Contribute?
+
+- Help students and developers worldwide find hackathon teams
+- Work with modern tech stack (React, Flask, MongoDB, AI/ML)
+- Participate in Hacktoberfest
+- Join a community of developers passionate about collaboration
+
+## Quick Start Guide
+
+### 1. Fork & Clone
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/ThonHub.git
+cd ThonHub
+git remote add upstream https://github.com/GDGoC-GLAU/ThonHub.git
+```
+
+### 2. Set Up Environment
+
+**Backend:**
+```bash
+cd backend
+python -m venv venv
+source venv/bin/activate  # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
+pip install -r requirements.txt
+cp .env.example .env
+```
+
+**Frontend:**
+```bash
+cd frontend
+npm install
+```
+
+### 3. Create Feature Branch
+```bash
+git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
+```
+
+## How to Contribute
+
+### For First-Time Contributors
+Look for issues labeled: `good first issue`, `documentation`, `frontend`, `hacktoberfest`
+
+### Finding Issues
+1. Check the Issues tab
+2. Comment to get assigned
+3. Propose new features if needed
+
+### Types of Contributions
+- Bug fixes
+- New features (teammate matching, AI improvements, UI)
+- Documentation improvements
+- Tests and code quality
+- Accessibility improvements
+
+## Development Guidelines
+
+### Code Style
+
+**Frontend (React):**
+- Use ES6+ and React Hooks
+- Use Tailwind CSS for styling
+- Keep components small and reusable
+
+**Backend (Python):**
+- Follow PEP 8 guidelines
+- Add docstrings and type hints
+- Keep functions focused
+
+### Testing
+- Write tests for new features
+- Ensure existing tests pass
+- Test across different browsers/devices
+
+## Pull Request Process
+
+### Before Submitting
+- Test your changes
+- Run linters
+- Update documentation
+- Rebase with main branch
+
+### Commit Messages
+Use Conventional Commits format:
+```
+feat: add teammate matching algorithm
+fix: resolve authentication bug
+docs: update API documentation
+```
+
+### PR Requirements
+Include in your PR:
+- Description of changes
+- Problem being solved
+- Testing approach
+- Screenshots for UI changes
+- Link related issues
+
+## Hacktoberfest Guidelines
+
+- Make meaningful contributions (no spam)
+- Quality over quantity
+- Follow project guidelines
+- Look for `hacktoberfest` labeled issues
+
+### Hacktoberfest Ideas
+- Frontend components
+- AI feature improvements
+- API documentation
+- Accessibility features
+- Comprehensive tests
+
+## Getting Help
+
+**Stuck?**
+- Comment on your issue
+- Check documentation in `/docs`
+- Search existing issues
+- Contact maintainers
+
+**Common Issues:**
+- Ensure MongoDB is running
+- Check environment variables in `.env`
+- Verify ports 3000/5000 are available
+
+## Useful Commands
+
+```bash
+# Development
+cd backend && python app.py     # Start backend
+cd frontend && npm start        # Start frontend
+npm test                        # Frontend tests
+pytest                          # Backend tests
+
+# Git workflow
+git fetch upstream
+git checkout main
+git merge upstream/main
+git push origin main
+```
+
+## Code of Conduct
+
+This project follows the Contributor Covenant code of conduct. Be respectful and inclusive in all interactions.
+
+## Questions?
+
+Open an issue with the `question` label for any questions about contributing.