👨‍💻 GSSoC '25 and Hactoberfest Contribution Guidelines

[Parnab03]

🎨 Welcome to WallGodds Community!

Hey there! We're super excited to have you join our amazing community of contributors. WallGodds is all about creating beautiful wallpapers and building an awesome platform together. This guide will help you understand everything you need to know to make meaningful contributions to our project.

Before you start working on anything, please take a few minutes to read through this guide. It might seem like a lot at first, but trust us - it will save you tons of time and help you avoid common mistakes that other contributors make.

Ready to create something amazing with us? Let's dive in!

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🎯 Discord Discussion (Mandatory)

Important: All project communication happens on Discord, not through GitHub issue comments or PR comments!

Why Discord? Well, trying to have detailed discussions through GitHub comments is messy and confusing. It's like trying to have a conversation through sticky notes - not fun! That's why we use Discord where you can chat properly, get quick help, and connect with other contributors.

Steps to Join Our Discord Community:

1. Click the link to join: Official Discord Server

2. Choose your role: When you join, you'll be asked about your open source program and role. Pick the one that matches what you want to do (like Web Development, App Development, or Design Team).

3. Complete the contributor form: This is super important! You won't be able to contribute without filling this out.

4. Find your channels: Once you're in, you'll see different categories:

   • General Discussion category: Open for all roles to chat and discuss
   • Your specific role category: According to your role, you will see either Web Development, App Development, or Design Team category. In your category, you'll find specific channels assigned for specific works like frontend, backend, wallpaper discussion, app general, web general, and figma design channels.

How to Use Discord:

• Want to raise a new issue? Discuss it in the General Discussion channel first
• Working on a specific task? Use the relevant channel (frontend, backend, wallpaper, etc.)
• Need help or support? Just ask in your channel - we're here to help!

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📋 Basic Instructions (Must Read)

1. Issue Assignment & Levels

You can only work on one issue at a time. Here's how our issue system works:

Issue Levels:

• Level 1: Quick and easy tasks - Complete within 2 days
• Level 2: Moderate difficulty - Complete within 4 days
• Level 3: Complex challenges - Complete within 6 days

Assignment Rules:

• You can only work on one issue at a time
• Every issue can have two contributors working on it
• Miss your deadline? Your issue gets reassigned to someone else (no extensions unless it's an emergency)
• Want to switch issues? Comment on your current issue and wait for maintainer approval first

Two Ways to Work on Issues:

1. Competition Mode:
Both contributors work separately on the same issue and submit their solutions. We'll review both and pick the best one. If your work isn't selected, don't worry! You can wait for a sub-issue or pick a different task.

2. Collaboration Mode (Only for Level 2 & 3 Issues):
Two contributors can split the work between themselves instead of competing. Here's how it works: First, discuss the work division on Discord between yourselves. Then tag the relevant PA about your collaboration plan. If the PA approves your plan, they'll create 2 separate sub-issues based on your work split. Each person then works on their own sub-issue, and PR points will be adjusted based on workload. Note: This option is not available for Level 1 issues since they're simple tasks that should be done individually.

2. Video Submission Process

Here's how to submit your work properly:

Step 1: Complete Your Work & Create Video
After finishing your issue, make a video showing what you built or fixed.

Step 2: Get Discord Approval
Post your video in the relevant Discord channel with an explanation of your work. Wait for PA or mentor approval before moving to GitHub.

Step 3: Create Your GitHub PR
Once approved on Discord, create your PR following these rules:

• Use the provided PR template (read instructions carefully!)
• Include your latest work video in the PR description
• PRs that don't follow the template will be rejected

Your video should demonstrate:

• What your changes do (show the feature or bug fix in action)
• How you implemented it (brief technical explanation)

3. Wallpaper Submissions

Adding a new wallpaper to the project? Here are the requirements:

• Include a clear screenshot or photo of your wallpaper in your PR
• Place wallpapers in the correct directory: Wallpapers/<Desktop/Tablet/Mobile>
• Your wallpaper can be an original photo you took or artwork you created

4. File Structure Requirements

Our project follows a specific file organization system for consistency:

Examples of proper structure:

• New features: Components/GalleryModule or Components/ErrorModule
• Wallpapers: Wallpapers/<Desktop/Tablet/Mobile>

Important: Don't create your own folder structure - follow the existing organization. PRs that break file structure rules will be rejected to maintain project consistency.

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🌟 Always Open Issues

Some tasks are always available to work on:

🖼️ Design Wallpapers (#8)

• Create and submit wallpapers anytime
• Include a clear image and description
• Can be your own photos or artwork

🐛 Fix UI Bugs (#4)

• Spot a UI bug? Fix it!
• These issues are always open because UI improvements never end

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🚀 Success Mindset

Quality Over Quantity

We value one excellent contribution over multiple rushed ones. Take time to:

• Understand the issue completely before starting
• Write clean, well-documented code
• Test your changes thoroughly under different conditions
• Ensure everything works perfectly before submission

Respect Deadlines

Meeting deadlines helps our entire team stay organized and productive. If you need extra time, communicate with the maintainers on Discord early - we're understanding when life happens!

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📋 Quick Summary

1. Join Discord first - All communication happens there
2. One issue at a time - Focus on quality work
3. Get Discord approval before creating GitHub PRs
4. Follow templates - Read instructions carefully
5. Meet deadlines - Or communicate if you need help

💬 Need Help? Jump into our Discord server and ask questions in the relevant channels. Our community is here to support your success!