Contributing to Google Task Desktop

January 19, 2026 · View on GitHub

First off, thank you for considering contributing to Google Task Desktop! 🎉

Table of Contents

Code of Conduct

This project adheres to a Code of Conduct. By participating, you are expected to uphold this code. Please report unacceptable behavior to the maintainers.

Getting Started

  1. Fork the repository on GitHub
  2. Clone your fork locally
  3. Set up the development environment (see below)
  4. Create a branch for your changes
  5. Make your changes and test them
  6. Submit a pull request

Development Setup

Prerequisites

Installation

# Clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/google-task-desktop.git
cd google-task-desktop

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Set up environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your Google OAuth credentials

# Start development server
npm run launch:dev

Google OAuth Setup

  1. Go to Google Cloud Console
  2. Create a new project or select an existing one
  3. Enable the Google Tasks API
  4. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials (Desktop application)
  5. Copy credentials to your .env file

Project Structure

google-task-desktop/
├── src/                    # React frontend
│   ├── api/                # API client and endpoints
│   ├── components/         # React components
│   ├── hooks/              # Custom React hooks
│   ├── repositories/       # Data access layer
│   ├── services/           # Business logic layer
│   ├── store/              # Recoil atoms
│   └── types/              # TypeScript types
├── src-tauri/              # Rust backend
│   └── src/
│       └── libs/           # Rust modules
└── docs/                   # Documentation

See ARCHITECTURE.md for detailed architecture documentation.

Making Changes

Branch Naming

  • feature/description - New features
  • fix/description - Bug fixes
  • docs/description - Documentation changes
  • refactor/description - Code refactoring

Testing Your Changes

  1. Run the development server: npm run launch:dev
  2. Test the feature manually
  3. Ensure there are no TypeScript errors
  4. Check the console for runtime errors

Pull Request Process

  1. Update documentation if you're changing functionality
  2. Update CHANGELOG.md with your changes
  3. Ensure the app builds without errors
  4. Write a clear PR description explaining:
    • What changes you made
    • Why you made them
    • How to test them
  5. Request review from maintainers

PR Title Format

type(scope): description

Examples:
feat(tasks): add drag-and-drop reordering
fix(auth): resolve token refresh issue
docs(readme): update installation steps

Coding Guidelines

TypeScript

  • Use strict TypeScript types (avoid any)
  • Define interfaces for all data structures
  • Use meaningful variable and function names

React

  • Use functional components with hooks
  • Keep components small and focused
  • Use Recoil for shared state only (UI state)

Rust

  • Follow Rust idioms and best practices
  • Use descriptive error messages
  • Document public functions

File Organization

  • One component per file
  • Group related files in directories
  • Export from index files when appropriate

Commit Messages

Follow the Conventional Commits specification:

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

[optional body]

[optional footer]

Types

  • feat: New feature
  • fix: Bug fix
  • docs: Documentation only
  • style: Code style (formatting, etc.)
  • refactor: Code refactoring
  • test: Adding tests
  • chore: Maintenance tasks

Examples

feat(notifications): add due date notifications

Implements OS notifications that trigger at 9 AM on task due dates.
Uses Tauri notification API for cross-platform support.

fix(auth): handle token expiration gracefully

- Added refresh token logic
- Improved error messaging
- Added automatic retry on 401

Questions?

Feel free to open an issue if you have questions about contributing. We're happy to help!

Thank you for contributing! 🙏