Contributing

We welcome contributions to the Robot Framework PGP library! This document provides guidelines for contributing to the project.

Getting Started

  1. Fork the Repository

    Fork the repository on GitHub and clone your fork:

    git clone https://github.com/yourusername/robotframework-pgp.git
cd robotframework-pgp

  2. Set Up Development Environment

    python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
pip install -e .

  3. Install Pre-commit Hooks

    pre-commit install

Development Workflow

  1. Create a Branch

    git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

  2. Make Changes

    • Write your code following the project’s coding standards

    • Add or update tests for your changes

    • Update documentation if necessary

  3. Run Tests

    # Run unit tests
pytest

# Run Robot Framework tests
robot tests/acceptance/

# Run with coverage
pytest --cov=RobotFrameworkPGP

  4. Code Quality Checks

    # Format code
black src/ tests/

# Lint code
flake8 src/ tests/

# Type checking
mypy src/

  5. Commit and Push

    git add .
git commit -m "Add feature: description of your changes"
git push origin feature/your-feature-name

  6. Create Pull Request

    Create a pull request on GitHub with a clear description of your changes.

Coding Standards

Python Code Style

  • Follow PEP 8 style guide

  • Use Black for code formatting

  • Maximum line length: 88 characters

  • Use type hints for function parameters and return values

Robot Framework Code Style

  • Use 4 spaces for indentation

  • Use clear, descriptive test and keyword names

  • Follow Robot Framework best practices

Documentation

  • Use Google-style docstrings for Python functions

  • Update RST documentation for new features

  • Include examples in docstrings

Testing Guidelines

Unit Tests

  • Write comprehensive unit tests for all new functionality

  • Use pytest fixtures for setup and teardown

  • Aim for high test coverage (>90%)

  • Test both success and failure scenarios

Integration Tests

  • Create Robot Framework test cases for new keywords

  • Test realistic usage scenarios

  • Verify error handling and edge cases

Test Structure

tests/
├── __init__.py
├── conftest.py              # Pytest configuration
├── test_pgp_library.py      # Unit tests
└── acceptance/              # Robot Framework tests
    ├── basic_encryption.robot
    ├── file_encryption.robot
    └── advanced_features.robot

Documentation

Updating Documentation

When adding new features:

  1. Update keyword documentation in the source code

  2. Add examples to the appropriate documentation files

  3. Update the API reference if needed

  4. Test documentation builds locally:

    cd docs
make html

Documentation Structure

docs/
├── conf.py              # Sphinx configuration
├── index.rst           # Main documentation page
├── installation.rst    # Installation guide
├── quickstart.rst      # Quick start guide
├── examples.rst        # Usage examples
├── keywords.rst        # Keyword reference
├── api.rst            # API documentation
└── contributing.rst    # This file

Reporting Issues

When reporting issues:

  1. Use the GitHub issue tracker

  2. Provide a clear description of the problem

  3. Include steps to reproduce the issue

  4. Specify your environment (OS, Python version, GPG version)

  5. Include relevant logs or error messages

Feature Requests

For new features:

  1. Check existing issues to avoid duplicates

  2. Describe the use case and benefits

  3. Propose an API design if applicable

  4. Be open to discussion and feedback

Release Process

Version Numbering

We follow Semantic Versioning (SemVer):

  • MAJOR: Breaking changes

  • MINOR: New features (backward compatible)

  • PATCH: Bug fixes (backward compatible)

Release Steps

  1. Update version in pyproject.toml and __init__.py

  2. Update CHANGELOG.md with release notes

  3. Create and push a version tag:

    git tag v1.2.3
git push origin v1.2.3

  4. GitHub Actions will automatically build and publish to PyPI

Code Review Guidelines

For Contributors

  • Keep pull requests focused and reasonably sized

  • Write clear commit messages

  • Respond to review feedback promptly

  • Update your branch with the latest main branch changes

For Reviewers

  • Be constructive and respectful in feedback

  • Check code quality, tests, and documentation

  • Verify that changes don’t break existing functionality

  • Consider the impact on users and backward compatibility

Community

Communication

  • GitHub Discussions for questions and general discussion

  • GitHub Issues for bug reports and feature requests

  • Follow the project’s code of conduct

Getting Help

If you need help with development:

  1. Check existing documentation and examples

  2. Search GitHub issues for similar problems

  3. Ask questions in GitHub Discussions

  4. Join the Robot Framework community forums

Thank you for contributing to Robot Framework PGP!