Contributing to snip

Thank you for your interest in contributing to snip! We welcome contributions from the community to help make this version control system better.

Code of Conduct

Be respectful and professional
Provide constructive feedback
Help others in the community
Report issues responsibly

How to Contribute

Reporting Bugs

Found a bug? Please help us fix it!

Check existing issues - Make sure the bug hasn't already been reported
Create a new issue with:
- Clear title describing the bug
- Steps to reproduce
- Expected vs actual behavior
- Your environment (OS, compiler version, etc.)
- Code examples if applicable

Suggesting Features

Have an idea for an improvement?

Check the roadmap - See Things that could be better section
Create an issue with:
- Clear description of the feature
- Use cases and benefits
- Examples of how it would work
- Any potential challenges

Submitting Code

Want to write code? Follow these guidelines:

1. Fork and Clone

git clone https://github.com/aadityansha06/snip.git
cd snip

2. Create a Feature Branch

git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
# or
git checkout -b fix/bug-name

3. Follow Code Conventions

4. Submit a Pull Request

Code Conventions

Naming Conventions

Follow snake_case for all identifiers:

// Good
int arg_count = 1;
void check_vsc(void);
void add_file(char command[100], char path[PATH_MAX]);

// Bad - Don't use camelCase or unclear abbreviations
int arggc = 1;
void checkvsc();
void addfile();

Function names:

Use descriptive verbs
Use lowercase with underscores
Examples: create_node(), write_file(), read_log(), print_log()

Variable names:

Use meaningful names
Use full words, not abbreviations (except for common ones like fp for file pointer, ch for character)
Examples: command, filename, previous_version, current_dir

Constants:

Use UPPERCASE_WITH_UNDERSCORES
Example: PATH_MAX, MAX_BUFFER

Comment Style

File Header

// Clear description of what the section does

Section Headers

Use separators for major sections:

// ============================================================================
// SECTION NAME - Brief description
// ============================================================================

Function Comments

Add purpose above function declarations:

// Initialize snip version control system in current directory
void initial(char command[100]);

// Check if .snip folder exists by searching upward through parent directories
char *check_vsc(void);

Inline Comments

// Good - Clear and concise
if (stat(check_path, &s) == 0) {
    return check_path;  // Found .snip folder
}

// Bad - Obvious or unclear
if (stat(check_path, &s) == 0) {
    return check_path;  // checking status
}

Rules

Add space after //
Keep comments brief and clear
Avoid stating the obvious
Remove debug comments before submitting

Formatting and Spacing

Indentation

Use 2-space indentation (consistent with existing code)
Use spaces, not tabs

if (condition) {
  // 2-space indent
  do_something();
}

Braces

Opening brace on same line
Closing brace on its own line

if (argc == 1) {
  handle_interactive_mode();
} else if (argc > 1) {
  handle_command_line();
}

Line Length

Keep lines under 100 characters when possible
Split long function calls across multiple lines

// Good
snprintf(check_path, sizeof(check_path), "%s\\.snip", path);

// Also acceptable for long lines
printf("Invalid command format. Use: snip commit -filename.ext -m\"message\"\n");

Blank Lines

One blank line between functions
One blank line between logical sections
No multiple consecutive blank lines

void function1(void) {
  // code
}

void function2(void) {
  // code
}

Function Organization

Order functions by execution flow (first used function at top):

Data structures & typedefs (top)
Global variables
Function declarations
Main function
Utility functions (helpers used by many functions)
Feature functions (organized by feature)
Helper functions (bottom)

Example from snip.c:

// Top - Data structures
typedef struct node {
  // ...
} node;

// Main function
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { /* ... */ }

// Utility functions
char *current_time(void) { /* ... */ }

// Feature functions
void add_file(...) { /* ... */ }
void commit_msg(...) { /* ... */ }

// Helper functions
void open_diff_view(...) { /* ... */ }

Error Handling

Use clear error messages:

// Good
if (path == NULL) {
  printf("snip is not initiated. Please use: snip init\n");
}

// Bad
if (path == NULL) {
  printf("error\n");
}

Guidelines:

Be specific about what went wrong
Suggest how to fix it
Use proper grammar and capitalization
Include relevant filenames or values when helpful

Variable Declarations

// Good - Declare at the beginning of block
void my_function(void) {
  char filename[100];
  int version = 0;
  char *path;
  
  // Use variables after declaration
  strcpy(filename, "test.c");
  version = 1;
}

// Avoid - Declaring in middle of code
void my_function(void) {
  strcpy(filename, "test.c");
  char filename[100];  // Don't do this
}

Memory Management

// Good - Always check for NULL
node *addr = malloc(sizeof(node));
if (addr == NULL) {
  printf("Memory allocation failed\n");
  exit(1);
}

// Always free when done
free(addr);

String Handling

// Good - Use safe functions
char buffer[PATH_MAX];
snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s\\%s", path, filename);

// Avoid - Unsafe functions
sprintf(buffer, "%s\\%s", path, filename);  // Can overflow

// Use strncpy for safety
strncpy(filename, token + 1, sizeof(filename) - 1);
filename[sizeof(filename) - 1] = '\0';

Platform-Specific Code

Use proper preprocessor directives:

#ifdef _WIN32
  // Windows-specific code
  snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s\\.snip", base_path);
#elif __linux__
  // Linux-specific code
  snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/.snip", base_path);
#elif __APPLE__
  // macOS-specific code
#endif

Testing Your Changes

Before submitting a PR:

Compile without warnings
```
gcc -Wall -Wextra -o snip snip.c
```
Test all commands:
- snip init
- snip add -filename.c
- snip commit -filename.c -m"message"
- snip log -filename.c
- snip write -filename.c v-1
- snip compare -filename.c v-1 and v-2
- snip --help
- snip --version
Test in both modes:
- Interactive mode: just type snip
- Command-line mode: snip init
Test on multiple platforms if possible:
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS

Pull Request Process

Update the code following conventions above
Test thoroughly on your system

Write a clear commit message:

Add feature: Brief description of change

- Details about what changed
- Why it was needed
- Any relevant issue numbers (#123)

Create a Pull Request with:
- Clear title
- Description of changes
- Reference to related issue (if applicable)
- Steps to test your changes
- Screenshots/examples if relevant
Respond to feedback - Be open to suggestions and improvements

Commit Message Guidelines

Use clear, descriptive commit messages:

# Good
git commit -m "Refactor variable naming to follow snake_case convention"
git commit -m "Fix: improve error message clarity in add_file function"
git commit -m "Feature: add support for multiple file comparison"

# Bad
git commit -m "fix stuff"
git commit -m "changes"
git commit -m "update"

Format:

<type>: <subject>

<body (optional)>

Types:

Feature: - New functionality
Fix: - Bug fix
Refactor: - Code restructuring
Docs: - Documentation changes
Style: - Formatting, naming conventions
Test: - Adding/updating tests

Questions?

GitHub Issues - For feature requests and bug reports
Discussions - For questions and discussions about the project
Email - Contact via GitHub profile

Recognition

All contributors will be recognized in the project. Thank you for helping make snip better!

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