CONTRIBUTING.md

Contributing

Thanks for taking the time to contribute.

Before You Start

• Use Java 21 and Gradle.
• Make sure you can run a local compile and test pass.
• If your change affects runtime behavior, test it in a Velocity environment.

Setup

git clone <repo-url>
cd VelocityHotReloader
./gradlew compileJava

Contribution Workflow

1. Create a branch from main.
2. Keep the change focused on one clear problem.
3. Add or update tests with the code change.
4. Run local checks before opening a PR.
5. Update docs when operator behavior or configuration expectations change.

Local Validation

Minimum checks:

./gradlew compileJava
./gradlew test

Recommended before merge:

./gradlew checkstyleMain checkstyleTest
./gradlew check

Pull Request Expectations

• Use a clear title and summary.
• Explain what changed and why.
• Call out configuration or migration impact.
• Link related issues where relevant.
• Keep commits readable and review-friendly.

Coding Principles

• Prefer clear, explicit code over shortcuts.
• Keep lifecycle boundaries clean.
• Handle malformed input safely.
• Avoid blocking critical paths with long-running work.
• Log failures in a way operators can act on.

Security

Do not report vulnerabilities in public issues. Follow SECURITY.md for private reporting.