Contributing

Contributing Guide

Thank you for your interest in contributing to DocStripper! 🎉

How to Contribute

Reporting Bugs

Found a bug? Please create an issue using the Bug Report template.

Suggesting Features

Have an idea? We'd love to hear it! Use the Feature Request template.

Good First Issues

Looking for something to start with? Check out issues labeled good first issue - these are perfect for new contributors!

Pull Requests

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
6. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
7. Open a Pull Request

Development Setup

Prerequisites

• Python 3.9+
• Git
• (Optional) poppler-utils for PDF support

Setup Steps

1. Clone your fork:

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/DocStripper.git
   cd DocStripper

2. Test your changes:

   python tool.py --dry-run examples/before_after.txt

Code Style

• Follow PEP 8 style guide
• Use Python 3.9+ features
• Prefer standard library over external packages
• Add docstrings to functions and classes
• Keep functions small and focused

Testing

• Test your changes with various file types (.txt, .docx, .pdf)
• Use --dry-run mode to preview changes
• Test edge cases (empty files, very large files, etc.)

Documentation

• Update README.md if adding features
• Update CHANGELOG.md for significant changes
• Add comments for complex logic

Commit Messages

Use clear, descriptive commit messages:

• feat: Add new feature
• fix: Fix bug in XYZ
• docs: Update documentation
• refactor: Improve code structure

Questions?

• Check GitHub Discussions
• Open an Issue
• Read the Wiki

Thank you for helping make DocStripper better! 🙏