# Contributing to Multipass

The Multipass team is very open to contributions from the community, whether these are feature ideas, issue/bug reports, change suggestions through pull requests, or discussions about Multipass.
While we are driven by our passion to improve Multipass and strive for high quality code, we have finite resources and must make careful decisions about where we spend our time.

## Guidelines

Our [Coding Guidelines](GUIDELINES.md) cover various aspects around Git usage, coding, and processes. Please read them to understand what is important to us.

### A special note on the use of AI tools

Especially with recent developments in AI-supported code generation, we must be careful when accepting external contributions for capacity and legal reasons. While we use AI tools in our development processes, too, we remain very careful about their outputs and expect our contributors to do the same.

In particular, we expect code changes and review feedback to be verified and understood by a human, and PR descriptions and comments in discussions to be written in the author's own words.

# General directions

### How do we decide on our focus areas?

At Canonical, we define and update roadmaps twice a year - in April and October. High-level directions are shared on [Multipass Discourse](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/c/project/multipass/21/none) for our community to understand our focus areas. Contributing along these areas is more likely to get our support as this aligns with our work.

### What is likely to grab our attention?

- Small, focused, high-quality contributions like bug fixes or small features are highly welcome.
- Contributions that are understood and verified by a human and that are aligned with our focus areas.
- Contributions that adhere to our [Coding Guidelines](GUIDELINES.md).

### What is unlikely to get accepted?

- Big chunks of obviously AI-generated code that has never been double checked by a skilled human developer will be declined.
- Contributions that ignore our [Coding Guidelines](GUIDELINES.md).

### How can I increase the likelihood to have my contribution accepted?

- Collaborate with us. Getting in touch with us up-front will help to align better.
- Fix an existing, reproducible, and accepted issue.
- When considering a bigger change, e.g. a new feature, check our current focus areas or get in touch with us in the [Multipass Discourse](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/c/project/multipass/21/none) or [create an issue](https://github.com/canonical/multipass/issues/new/choose) that outlines your idea for us to comment and refine together with you.

# Requirements before contributing

### License agreement

All contributors must sign the [Canonical contributor license agreement (CLA)](https://ubuntu.com/legal/contributors),
which gives Canonical permission to use the contributions. Without the CLA, contributions cannot be accepted.

### Code of Conduct

When contributing, you must adhere to the [Code of Conduct](https://ubuntu.com/community/ethos/code-of-conduct).