# Contributing Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Awesome Helix! This document outlines the guidelines for contributing to this curated list.

Please note that this project is released with a
[Contributor Code of Conduct](CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md). By participating in this
project you agree to abide by its terms.

## How to Contribute

### Adding Items

1. Fork this repository
2. Create a new branch for your additions
3. Add your item(s) following the format guidelines below
4. Ensure your additions follow the quality standards
5. Submit a pull request with a clear description

### Format Guidelines

- **Links**: Use the format `[Name](link) - Description.`
- **Descriptions**: Keep descriptions concise, clear, and informative
- **Categories**: Place items in the most appropriate existing category
- **Alphabetical Order**: Within each category, maintain alphabetical order

### Quality Standards

#### General Requirements

- Only add items you've personally used or thoroughly researched
- Ensure the resource is actively maintained (updated within the last year)
- Avoid duplicates - check existing entries first
- Items should be specific to Helix or have significant Helix integration

#### For Plugins

- Must work with current Helix version
- Should have clear installation instructions
- Include a brief description of functionality
- Indicate if experimental or stable

#### For Themes

- Must be compatible with current Helix
- Should have preview screenshots when possible
- Include installation instructions

#### For Tutorials/Guides

- Content should be accurate and up-to-date
- Must be specific to Helix (not general editor tutorials)
- Should add unique value to the existing documentation

### New Categories

If you want to add a new category:

1. Ensure there are at least 3 quality items for the category
2. Choose a clear, descriptive category name
3. Add it to the table of contents
4. Follow the existing format and structure

### What Not to Include

- Broken or unmaintained projects
- Items that duplicate existing functionality without improvement
- Generic development tools without Helix-specific integration
- Personal projects without public documentation
- Commercial products (unless they have free tiers specifically for Helix)

## Pull Request Process

1. **Title**: Use descriptive titles like "Add [item name]" or "Update [section]"
2. **Description**: Briefly explain what you're adding and why it's valuable
3. **Review**: Be patient during the review process and respond to feedback
4. **One Item Per PR**: Unless adding multiple related items, submit separate PRs

## Style Guide

### Markdown

- Use consistent heading levels
- Maintain proper spacing between sections
- Use relative links for internal references
- Follow standard Markdown formatting

### Language

- Use clear, professional language
- Avoid marketing language or excessive superlatives
- Write in English
- Use present tense for descriptions

## Recognition

All contributors will be recognized in the repository. By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the same license as this project.

## Questions?

If you have questions about contributing, please:

1. Check existing issues for similar questions
2. Open a new issue with the "question" label

Thank you for helping make Awesome Helix a valuable resource for the community!