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Contributing to Vinci Clips

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Vinci Clips! We welcome contributions from the community and appreciate your help in making this project better.

🚀 Quick Start for Contributors

Development Setup

  1. Fork and clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/your-username/vinci-clips.git
cd vinci-clips

  2. Install dependencies:

    npm run install:all

  3. Set up environment variables: Copy backend/.env.example to backend/.env and fill in your values:

    cp backend/.env.example backend/.env

  4. Start development servers:

    npm start

🛠️ Development Guidelines

Code Style

  • Frontend: TypeScript with ESLint and Prettier
  • Backend: JavaScript with JSDoc comments
  • Formatting: Use Prettier for consistent code formatting
  • Linting: Run npm run lint before submitting

Git Workflow

  1. Create a feature branch:

    git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

  2. Make your changes with clear commit messages:

    git commit -m "feat: add video thumbnail generation"

  3. Push and create a pull request:

    git push origin feature/your-feature-name

Commit Message Format

We use conventional commits:

  • feat: - New features
  • fix: - Bug fixes
  • docs: - Documentation changes
  • style: - Code style changes (formatting, etc.)
  • refactor: - Code refactoring
  • test: - Adding or updating tests
  • chore: - Maintenance tasks

🐛 Reporting Issues

Bug Reports

When reporting bugs, please include:

  1. Environment information:

    • OS and version
    • Node.js version
    • Browser (if frontend issue)

  2. Steps to reproduce:

    • Clear, numbered steps
    • Expected vs actual behavior
    • Screenshots or videos if helpful

  3. Relevant logs:

    • Backend logs from backend/logs/
    • Browser console errors
    • Network requests (if applicable)

Feature Requests

For new features:

  • Describe the problem you're trying to solve
  • Explain why this feature would be valuable
  • Provide examples or mockups if possible
  • Consider implementation complexity

🔧 Areas for Contribution

High Priority

  • Bug fixes: Address issues in the GitHub issue tracker
  • Performance improvements: Optimize video processing pipeline
  • Test coverage: Add unit and integration tests
  • Documentation: Improve setup guides and API docs

Medium Priority

  • UI/UX improvements: Enhance user interface and experience
  • New platform integrations: Add support for more video platforms
  • Mobile responsiveness: Improve mobile web experience
  • Error handling: Better error messages and recovery

Advanced Features

  • Auto-reframing: AI-powered aspect ratio adjustment
  • Caption generation: Automated subtitle creation
  • B-roll integration: Context-aware supplementary content
  • Social media publishing: Direct platform publishing

🧪 Testing

Running Tests

# Backend tests
cd backend && npm test

# Frontend tests
cd frontend && npm test

# Run all tests
npm run test:all

Writing Tests

  • Unit tests: Test individual functions and components
  • Integration tests: Test API endpoints and data flow
  • E2E tests: Test complete user workflows

📋 Pull Request Process

Before Submitting

  1. Code quality checks:

    npm run lint
npm run test

  2. Update documentation:

    • Add JSDoc comments for new functions
    • Update README if needed
    • Include inline code comments for complex logic

  3. Test your changes:

    • Test locally with the full development setup
    • Verify both frontend and backend functionality
    • Check edge cases and error handling

PR Description Template

## Description
Brief description of changes and motivation.

## Type of Change
- [ ] Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
- [ ] New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to not work as expected)
- [ ] Documentation update

## Testing
- [ ] Unit tests pass
- [ ] Integration tests pass
- [ ] Manual testing completed

## Checklist
- [ ] Code follows project style guidelines
- [ ] Self-review completed
- [ ] Documentation updated if needed
- [ ] No console.log statements left in code

🏗️ Architecture Guidelines

Backend

  • Modular routes: Keep route handlers focused and small
  • Error handling: Use try-catch blocks and proper error responses
  • Logging: Use the Winston logger for all output
  • Validation: Validate all input data thoroughly

Frontend

  • Component structure: Keep components small and reusable
  • Type safety: Use TypeScript interfaces and types
  • State management: Use React state patterns appropriately
  • Performance: Optimize renders and API calls

Database

  • Schema design: Use Mongoose schemas with proper validation
  • Indexing: Add database indexes for query performance
  • Data consistency: Ensure data integrity across operations

💡 Getting Help

Community Support

  • GitHub Issues: Ask questions using the "question" label
  • Documentation: Check the README and wiki first
  • Code examples: Look at existing implementations

Contact

  • Maintainers: Tag @maintainer-username in issues
  • Email: For security issues, email [email protected]

🎯 Development Priorities

Current focus areas (updated regularly):

  1. Stability: Fix existing bugs and improve error handling
  2. Performance: Optimize video processing and API response times
  3. Testing: Increase test coverage across the codebase
  4. Documentation: Improve developer experience with better docs

📜 Code of Conduct

Our Standards

Positive behavior includes:

  • Using welcoming and inclusive language
  • Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences
  • Gracefully accepting constructive criticism
  • Focusing on what is best for the community

Unacceptable behavior includes:

  • Harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate comments
  • Publishing others' private information without permission
  • Trolling, insulting, or derogatory comments
  • Professional misconduct

Enforcement

Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be reported to the community leaders responsible for enforcement. All complaints will be reviewed and investigated promptly and fairly.

Thank you for contributing to Vinci Clips! Your efforts help make video content creation more accessible and powerful for everyone.