Contributing

Thank you for considering contributing to this project! Please follow these guidelines to help us maintain a welcoming and productive environment. When contributing to this repository, please first discuss the change you wish to make via issue, email, or any other method with the original authors of this work.

Please note we have a code of conduct, please follow it in all your interactions with the project.

Pull Request Process

1. Ensure any install or build dependencies are removed before the end of the layer when doing a build.
2. Update the README.md with details of changes to the interface, this includes new environment variables, exposed ports, useful file locations and container parameters.
3. Increase the version numbers in any examples files and the README.md to the new version that this Pull Request would represent. The versioning scheme we use is SemVer. This repository is part of a framework with a counterpart in OpenAirInterface written in C/C++. We do not accept major patches that break or reduce compatibility with the twin repository.
4. Submitted code must have been tested and should work with all the compatible configurations of the framework.
5. Merging should always be performed via squash commits. Pull Requests must be updated through rebasing, without duplicating commits or altering the original branch history. Merges without prior approval are not allowed, and any accidental violations will result in the deletion of the merge commit.

Development Workflow

Active development happens on a private internal repository. The public repository wineslab/dApp-library is a 1:1 mirror of that internal repo, updated automatically by .github/workflows/mirror.yml on every push to main. Do not open pull requests against the public mirror — they will not be merged.

For maintainers and existing collaborators

Branch from the internal repository, open the PR there, follow the templates in .github/, and let CI run.

For external contributors

External contributors must request access to the internal repository before opening a PR. Two channels are accepted:

1. Preferred: open an issue on the public mirror at https://github.com/wineslab/dApp-library/issues using the "Request access to the internal development repository" contact link (or any template with the access-request label). Tell us briefly what you want to work on.
2. Fallback: email a.lacava@northeastern.edu with the same information.

Once access is granted, you will be invited to the internal repository; fork it from there, push your branch, and open the PR against the internal repo.

Mandatory checks

The following are mandatory for every contribution. PRs that do not meet them will not be reviewed.

Issues

• All issues must use one of the templates in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ (bug_report, feature_request, question, documentation, or new_sm). Blank issues are disabled.
• Required fields in the templates must be completed; placeholder text is not acceptable.

Pull requests

• All PRs must use .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md and complete every checklist item.
• The following CI workflow must be green on the latest commit before review:
  • Run tests (.github/workflows/test.yml) — installs the package via pip install -e ".[all]" and runs pytest tests/ -v on Python 3.12.
• The following local checks must be reported in the PR description as run by the contributor (mirroring CI):
  • pytest tests/ -v passes (after pip install -e ".[all]").
  • python -m build succeeds (the build backend is scikit-build-core; this also verifies the C++/SWIG extension compiles).
  • VERSION file bumped per SemVer when public API or wire protocol changes.
  • README.md and/or CONTRIBUTING.md updated when contributor- or user-facing behavior changes.

Service Models and twin-repo coordination

This repository is part of a framework that includes libe3 (the gNB-side E3 agent) and dApp-openairinterface5g (the OAI fork). PRs that change the E3 wire protocol or add a new Service Model must come with a paired PR in the affected twin repo, linked from the PR description.

Code of Conduct

Our Pledge

In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we as contributors and maintainers pledge to making participation in our project and our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to creating a positive environment include:

• Using welcoming and inclusive language
• Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences
• Gracefully accepting constructive criticism
• Focusing on what is best for the community
• Showing empathy towards other community members

Examples of unacceptable behavior by participants include:

• The use of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances
• Trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
• Public or private harassment
• Publishing others' private information, such as a physical or electronic address, without explicit permission
• Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting

Our Responsibilities

Project maintainers are responsible for clarifying the standards of acceptable behavior and are expected to take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any instances of unacceptable behavior.

Project maintainers have the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, commits, code, wiki edits, issues, and other contributions that are not aligned to this Code of Conduct, or to ban temporarily or permanently any contributor for other behaviors that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies both within project spaces and in public spaces when an individual is representing the project or its community. Examples of representing a project or community include using an official project e-mail address, posting via an official social media account, or acting as an appointed representative at an online or offline event. Representation of a project may be further defined and clarified by project maintainers.

Enforcement

Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be reported by contacting the project team. All complaints will be reviewed and investigated and will result in a response that is deemed necessary and appropriate to the circumstances. The project team is obligated to maintain confidentiality with regard to the reporter of an incident. Further details of specific enforcement policies may be posted separately.

Project maintainers who do not follow or enforce the Code of Conduct in good faith may face temporary or permanent repercussions as determined by other members of the project's leadership.

Attribution

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant, version 1.4, available at http://contributor-covenant.org/version/1/4