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CONTRIBUTING.md

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Introduction

There are multiple ways to help make Timescale better, including contributing to the documentation. All of our documentation is available to use and review with GitHub.

First contribution

You can make contributions to the documentation by creating a fork of the repository. However, if you have write access to the repository, use a branch instead. Some of our automation does not work correctly on forks.

Contributing using a fork

  1. Make sure you have a GitHub account, and that you're signed in.

  2. Navigate to the Timescale documentation repo, click the Fork button in the top-right corner, and select the account you want to use.

  3. Wait for GitHub to create your fork and redirect you.

  4. Clone the repository to your local machine. To find this URL, click the green Code button and copy the HTTPS URL:

    git clone https://github.com/<username>/docs.git

  5. List the current remote branches:

    git remote -v

    This command should list two remotes, both marked origin, like this:

    origin  https://github.com/<username>/docs.git (fetch)
origin  https://github.com/<username>/docs.git (push)

    The origin remotes are your own fork, and you can do whatever you want here without changing the upstream repository.

  6. Add the docs repo as an upstream:

    git remote add upstream https://github.com/timescale/docs.git

  7. Check:

    git remote -v

    This command should now have the same two origin remotes as before, plus two more labelled upstream, like this:

    origin  https://github.com/<username>/docs.git (fetch)
origin  https://github.com/<username>/docs.git (push)
upstream  https://github.com/timescale/docs.git (fetch)
upstream  https://github.com/timescale/docs.git (push)

  8. Fetch the branches in the upstream repository:

    git fetch upstream

  9. Merge the changes from the upstream latest branch, into your fork's latest branch:

    git merge upstream/latest

  10. Create a new branch for the work you want to do. Make sure you give it an appropriate name, and include your username:

    git checkout -b update-readme-username

Committing changes and creating a pull request

  1. Make your changes.

  2. Add the updated files to your commit:

    git add .

  3. Commit your changes:

    git commit -m "Commit message here"

  4. Push your changes:

    git push

    If git prompts you to set an upstream in order to push, use this command:

    git push --set-upstream origin <branchname>

  5. Create a pull request (PR) by navigating to https://github.com/timescale/docs and clicking Compare and Create Pull Request. Write an informative commit message detailing your changes, choose reviewers, and save your PR. If you haven't yet finished the work you want to do, make sure you create a draft PR by selecting it from the drop down box in the GitHub web UI. This lets your reviewers know that you haven't finished work yet, while still being transparent about what you are working on, and making sure we all understand current progress.

Choose your reviewers carefully! If you have made changes to the technical detail of the documentation, choose an appropriate subject matter expert (SME) to review those changes. Additionally, every change requires at least one documentation team member to approve. Ask the documentation team for a review by adding the `timescale/documentation` group as a reviewer.

Second contribution

When you have checked out the repo, if you want to keep working on things, you need to make sure that your local copy of the repo stays up to date. If you don't do this, you will end up with merge conflicts.

Second contribution

  1. Check out your fork's latest branch:

    git checkout latest

    You get a message like this:

    Switched to branch 'latest'
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/latest'.

    BEWARE! This is usually a lie!

  2. Fetch the branches in the upstream repository:

    git fetch upstream

  3. Merge the changes from the upstream latest branch, into your fork's latest branch:

    git merge upstream/latest

  4. If you are continuing work you began earlier, check out the branch that contains your work. For new work, create a new branch. Doing this regularly as you are working means you keep your local copies up to date and avoid conflicts. You should do it at least every day before you begin work, and again whenever you switch branches.

Never leave branches lying around on your local system. Create your PR as soon as possible, and make good use of the Draft feature. Commit to your feature branch early and often! Update your local copy from latest whenever you switch branches.

Reviewing standards

When you create a pull request, a member of the documentation team will review it for accuracy and adherance to our standards. You can see a list of the things that reviewers check for in the pull request template.

Writing standards

Timescale has comprehensive writing and style standards, that are constantly being updated and improved. For the current guidelines, see contributing to documentation.