Contributing

## Validate every change

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npm test

The test suite is fast and is required after every feature or fix. Add focused coverage for request handling and browser composition when behavior changes.

For frontend work, also verify the production build:

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npm run build

Saving backend or frontend application files can affect connected browsers immediately.

• Build the complete route table before swapping the active handler.
• Keep process-owned state on the stable state object.
• Do not leave stale DOM or component references after removing UI elements.
• Make browser changes as complete, atomic edits rather than saving broken intermediate states.
• Inspect service logs when a reload does not take effect.

The documentation uses GitDocs conventions:

• .gitdocs.json points at docs/.
• Every navigable directory has a readme.md index.
• YAML front matter supplies titles, descriptions, tags, and ordered items.
• Internal links use generated absolute routes such as /operations/service/.

Build the branded static site, then preview it:

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npm run docs:build
python3 -m http.server 8000 --directory .gitdocs_build

Use the static production build for remote previews. GitDocs' development server embeds a loopback WebSocket, so tunnelling gitdocs serve leaves remote browsers on a loading skeleton. The generated .gitdocs_build/ directory is ignored. Keep operational commands and security claims synchronized with the implementation and the root README.md.

1. Explain the behavior and operational impact.
2. Add or update tests.
3. Update the relevant GitDocs page.
4. Run npm test and, for UI changes, npm run build.
5. Do not commit tokens, provider credentials, .ui-token, databases, or generated output.