docs: update contributing guide with conventions and workflows #258
Description
Description
Update the contributing guide (or create one if it doesn't exist) to document the project's conventions and workflows for contributors.
Content to Include
1. Commit Message Conventions
- Conventional commits format requirement
- Available types:
feat,fix,docs,refactor,test,chore,ci - Scope options:
host,abstractions,opentelemetry,deps,build,ci,github - Breaking change footer format
- Examples of good commit messages
2. Pull Request Requirements
- PR title must follow conventional commits format
- Validation is enforced by CI
- Link to PR template (
.github/pull_request_template.md) - Guidelines on when to use scopes
3. Branch Naming Conventions
- Document any branch naming standards
- Main branch:
main - Feature/fix branch patterns
4. Versioning & Release Process
- Explain that versioning is automatic based on commit types
- How the release process works (Release Drafter → manual publish → automated NuGet publish)
- Pre-release vs stable releases
5. Code Style & Testing
- Link to or summarize key code style guidelines
- Testing framework and patterns (xUnit, NSubstitute, AutoFixture, AwesomeAssertions)
- C# 14 extension members syntax
6. Development Workflow
- How to set up the project locally
- How to run tests
- How to build the project
Acceptance Criteria
- Contributing guide exists (CONTRIBUTING.md or similar)
- All sections above are documented
- Guide is linked from README if not already
- Examples are provided for common scenarios
- Guide is clear and easy for new contributors to follow