Contributing

Thank you for your interest in contributing to LinuxToys! This project aims to provide a collection of tools for Linux in a user-friendly way, making powerful functionality accessible to all users. For submitting your app to LinuxToys distribution, please check the Developer Portal for comprehensive documentation.

Development Priorities

When contributing to LinuxToys, please keep these core priorities in mind, listed in order of importance:

1. Safety and Privacy First

• User safety and privacy must always be the top priority
• All scripts and tools should be thoroughly tested and reviewed
• Never implement features that could compromise user data or system security
• Clearly document any potential risks or system changes
• Follow secure coding practices and validate all user inputs

2. User Friendliness and Accessibility

• Design with the average computer user in mind
• Provide clear, intuitive interfaces
• Include helpful descriptions and guidance for all features, while keeping it straight to the point
• Ensure accessibility for users with different technical skill levels
• Use plain language in user-facing text and error messages
• Choose installation methods based upon their functionality and reliability above all

3. Reliability and Self-Sufficiency

• All features must work as intended without requiring additional workarounds from the user
• Tools should handle edge cases gracefully
• Provide clear error messages when something goes wrong
• Test across supported distributions and versions
• Ensure dependencies are properly managed and documented

4. CLI Tool Restrictions

• Command-line interfaces should be restricted to developer and sysadmin use cases
• The average computer user doesn't know or want to deal with terminal emulators
• CLI-only features should be restricted to Developer and System Administration menus

Contribution Guidelines

• All Pull Requests will be manually reviewed before approval
• Ensure your contributions align with the development priorities listed above
• Test your changes across different Linux distributions when possible
• Follow the existing code style and structure
• Document any new features or significant changes

Getting Started

1. Fork the repository and create a feature branch
2. Make your changes following the development priorities
3. Test thoroughly across supported systems
4. Submit a Pull Request with a clear description of your changes

We appreciate your contributions to making Linux more accessible and user-friendly for everyone!