Add contributions guide starting point

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+# Contributing
+
+To contribute to this repository, please review the following basic guidelines, and then make a pull request.
+
+## Versioning
+
+Building of images for [potluck.honeyguide.net](https://potluck.honeyguide.net) happens after git update, where flavours with a higher version number than before get built.
+
+The version must be set in the `flavour-name.ini` manifest file.
+
+The basic structure of the versioning is as follows:
+
+```
+X.Y.Z / 0.0.1
+
+X = Major version
+Y = Minor version
+Z = Build updates
+```
+
+Minor tweaks and changes increment the final digit. For example, a typo is fixed, or a config file changed to include an option. Then increment final digit to force a rebuild of the image.
+
+```
+1.1.1 --> 1.1.2
+```
+
+Many images are layered images that use a base jail. When there is a new base image, dependent pot images need to be rebuilt for it. 
+
+The current practise of the maintainer is to increment the second last digit, and set the final digit to 1. For example:
+
+```
+1.1.3 --> 1.2.1  # new base image
+```
+
+Minor adjustments on the new base image will then increment the final digit.
+
+## Changelog
+
+To try and keep changes to a short format, it's preferred to list multiple changelog items under a single Major.Minor version. 
+
+Do not include the (X.Y.Z) shown here to demonstrate an example progression. 
+
+```
+1.3
+
+* Version bump for new base image                         (1.3.1)
+* Enable milliseconds in syslog-ng for all log timestamps (1.3.2)
+* Change port to 8080                                     (1.3.3)
+
+---
+
+1.2
+
+* Version bump for new base image 14.1
+* Extra steps to trim image size
+* Fix spelling errors
+* Adjust version of package
+
+---
+
+1.1
+
+* Version bump for new base image
+
+```
+
+## Pkg steps
+
+Avoid installing multiple packages in a single line like this:
+
+```
+step "Install packages"
+pkg install -y sudo nano rsync
+```
+
+Instead break it up to individual packages like this
+
+```
+step "Install sudo"
+pkg install -y sudo
+
+step "Install nano"
+pkg install -y nano
+
+step "Install rsync"
+pkg install -y rsync
+```
+
+This is easier to debug during testing or the build process. Can easily comment out problem packages.
+
+## Checklist
+
+Many flavours have a `CHECKLIST.md` file with specific things to check when updating that flavour. 
+
+An upgrade of `php` or `python` can cause problems, and these should be identified in the check list file.
+
+## Commit messages
+
+Naming convention for commits is suggested as follows:
+```
+<lowercase-potluck-image-name>: <Text that starts with an uppercase letter>
+```
+
+When doing a batch of updates collectively, use a label like `hashicluster` or `honeyguide`.
+

README.md

@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ To learn about pot & pot flavours, go to [pot.pizzamig.dev](https://pot.pizzamig
 
 To learn how to use these pot flavours & images (spoiler alert: it is just one command...), go to [potluck.honeyguide.net](https://potluck.honeyguide.net).
 
-
-
 **Additional flavours or fixes/updates to existing flavours are very welcome via pull requests!**
 
+Please see [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/bsdpot/potluck/CONTRIBUTING.md) for useful contribution info.
+
 For a relatively easy way to create new flavours based on our code, [see our howto](https://potluck.honeyguide.net/howto/).
 
 If you want to provide an additional flavour, please provide one or both "flavour" and "flavour".sh files as well as a short README.md.