📢 PR Management System Update - What Contributors Need to Know

December 20, 2025 · View on GitHub

We're introducing a new PR management system to improve code quality and make contributing easier! This guide explains what's changing and what you need to do.

🎯 What's Changing?

We're introducing:

✅ Clear contribution guidelines aligned with our roadmap ✅ Automated checks (tests, linting, security scans) ✅ Better labeling for organization and prioritization ✅ Faster review turnaround with pre-checks ✅ Transparent process so you know exactly what to expect

📅 Timeline

Week 1-2: Existing PR Review Period
Week 3:   Soft Launch (checks are advisory only)
Week 4+:  Full Launch (checks are required)

Important: This rollout is gradual. You'll have time to adapt!

🤔 What This Means for YOU

If You Have an Existing Open PR

Good news: Your PR will NOT be blocked by new rules!

✅ Your PR will be reviewed under current (relaxed) standards
✅ We'll review and provide feedback within 1-2 weeks
✅ Some PRs may need a quick rebase or minor updates

What you might need to do:

Rebase on latest dev branch if there are conflicts
Respond to review comments within 1 week
Be patient as we work through the backlog

What happens if I don't respond?

We may close your PR after 2 weeks of inactivity
You can always reopen it later with updates!
No hard feelings - we're just cleaning up the backlog

🚀 Want to Check Your PR? (Optional)

We've created a PR health check tool to help you see if your PR meets the new standards!

Run this in your local fork:

./scripts/pr-check.sh

What it does:

🔍 Analyzes your PR (doesn't modify anything)
✅ Shows what's good
⚠️ Points out issues
💡 Gives you specific fix suggestions
📊 Overall health score

Then fix issues and push:

# Fix the issues (see suggestions from script)
# Run check again
./scripts/pr-check.sh

# Push when ready
git push -f origin <your-branch>

📖 Full Guide: How to Migrate Your PR

Remember: This is completely optional for existing PRs!

If You're Submitting a NEW PR

Timeline matters:

Week 3 (Soft Launch):

✅ Automated checks will run (tests, linting, security)
⚠️ Checks are advisory only - they won't block your PR
✅ This is a learning period - we're here to help!
✅ Get familiar with the new Contributing Guidelines

Week 4+ (Full Launch):

✅ All automated checks must pass before merge
✅ PR must follow Conventional Commits format
✅ PR template must be filled out
✅ Must align with roadmap priorities

✅ How to Prepare for New System

1. Read the Contributing Guidelines

📖 CONTRIBUTING.md

Key points:

We accept PRs aligned with our roadmap (security, AI, exchanges, UI/UX)
PRs should be focused and small (<300 lines preferred)
Use Conventional Commits format: feat(area): description
Include tests for new features

2. Check the Roadmap

🗺️ Roadmap

Current priorities (Phase 1):

🔒 Security enhancements
🧠 AI model integrations
🔗 Exchange integrations (OKX, Bybit, Lighter, EdgeX)
🎨 UI/UX improvements
⚡ Performance optimizations
🐛 Bug fixes

Lower priority (Phase 2+):

Universal market expansion (stocks, futures)
Advanced AI features
Enterprise features

💡 Pro tip: If your PR aligns with Phase 1, it'll be reviewed faster!

3. Set Up Local Testing

Before submitting a PR, test locally:

# Backend tests
go test ./...
go fmt ./...
go vet ./...

# Frontend tests
cd web
npm run lint
npm run type-check
npm run build

This helps your PR pass automated checks on first try!

📝 PR Title Format

Use Conventional Commits format:

<type>(<scope>): <description>

Examples:
feat(exchange): add OKX futures support
fix(trader): resolve position tracking bug
docs(readme): update installation instructions
perf(ai): optimize prompt generation

Types:

feat - New feature
fix - Bug fix
docs - Documentation
refactor - Code refactoring
perf - Performance improvement
test - Test updates
chore - Build/config changes
security - Security improvements

🎯 What Makes a Good PR?

✅ Good PR Example

Title: feat(exchange): add OKX exchange integration

Description:
Implements OKX exchange support with the following features:
- Order placement and cancellation
- Balance and position retrieval
- Leverage configuration
- Error handling and retry logic

Closes #123

Testing:
- [x] Unit tests added and passing
- [x] Manually tested with real API
- [x] Documentation updated

Why it's good:

✅ Clear, descriptive title
✅ Explains what and why
✅ Links to issue
✅ Includes testing details
✅ Small, focused change

❌ Avoid These

Too vague:

Title: update code
Description: made some changes

Too large:

Title: feat: complete rewrite of entire trading system
Files changed: 2,500+

Off roadmap:

Title: feat: add support for stock trading
(This is Phase 3, not current priority)

🐛 If Your PR Fails Checks

Don't panic! We're here to help.

Week 3 (Soft Launch):

Checks are advisory - we'll help you fix issues
Ask questions in your PR comments
We can guide you through debugging

Week 4+ (Full Launch):

Checks must pass, but we still help!
Common issues:
- Test failures → Run go test ./... locally
- Linting errors → Run go fmt and npm run lint
- Merge conflicts → Rebase on latest dev

Need help? Just ask! Comment in your PR or reach out:

💰 Special Note for Bounty Contributors

If you're working on a bounty:

✅ Your PRs get priority review (24-48 hours) ✅ Extra support to meet requirements ✅ Flexible during transition - we'll work with you

Just make sure to:

Reference the bounty issue number
Meet all acceptance criteria
Include demo video/screenshots

❓ FAQ

Q: Will my existing PR be rejected?

A: No! Existing PRs use relaxed standards. We may ask for minor updates (rebase, small fixes), but you won't be held to new strict requirements.

Q: What if I can't pass the new CI checks?

A: Week 3 is a learning period. We'll help you understand and fix issues. By Week 4, you'll be familiar with the process!

Q: Will this slow down contributions?

A: Actually, no! Automated checks catch issues early, making reviews faster. Clear guidelines help you submit better PRs on first try.

Q: Can I still contribute if I'm a beginner?

A: Absolutely! Look for issues labeled good first issue. We're here to mentor and help you succeed.

Q: My PR is large (>1000 lines). What should I do?

A: Consider breaking it into smaller PRs. This gets you:

✅ Faster reviews
✅ Easier testing
✅ Higher chance of quick merge

Need help planning? Just ask in your PR!

Q: What if my feature isn't on the roadmap?

A: Open an issue first to discuss! We're open to good ideas, but want to ensure alignment before you spend time coding.

Q: When will this be fully active?

A: Week 4+ (approximately 4 weeks from announcement date). Check the pinned Discussion post for exact dates.

🎉 Benefits for Contributors

This new system helps YOU by:

✅ Faster reviews - Automated pre-checks reduce review time ✅ Clear expectations - You know exactly what's required ✅ Better feedback - Automated checks catch issues early ✅ Fair prioritization - Roadmap-aligned PRs reviewed faster ✅ Recognition - Contributor tiers and recognition program

📚 Resources

Must Read

Contributing Guidelines - Complete guide
Roadmap - Current priorities

Helpful Links

Conventional Commits - Commit format
Good First Issues - Beginner-friendly tasks
Bounty Program - Get paid to contribute

Get Help

GitHub Discussions - Ask questions
Telegram - Community chat
Twitter - Updates and announcements

💬 Feedback Welcome!

This is a new system and we want YOUR input:

📝 What's unclear?
🤔 What concerns do you have?
💡 How can we improve?

Share in the Migration Feedback Discussion (link TBD)

🙏 Thank You!

We appreciate your contributions and patience during this transition. Together, we're building something amazing!

Questions? Don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 🚀

Last Updated: 2025-01-XX Status: Announcement (Week 0) Full Launch: Week 4+ (TBD)