When contributing to Monkeytype, it's good to know our best practices, tips, and tricks. First, Monkeytype is written in Javascript, CSS and HTML(in order of how much of the project is in what language); thus we assume you are comfortable in in these languages or have basic knowledge of them. Our backend is in NodeJS and we use Firebase to store our user data. We use Prettier to format our code.
While most contributions don't require that you install dependencies, there are a few minimum requirements you will need to meet to be able to run the project(this is useful and almost always necessary for tasks like creating features and fixing bugs, running the project is also useful if you are contributing a theme and want to view it on the site before you contribute it). You will need a computer with a stable internet connection, Git, NodeJS with a version <14andFirebase,andatexteditor.
If you are not a developer and wish to contribute themes, new languages, or quotes, having a text editor will make contributions *much* easier. A popular and relatively lightweight editor [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) or VS Code. Is is the free and open-source from Microsoft. Run the installer and follow the prompts. Once you have VS Code installed, you are ready to start contributing.
Git is optional but we *highly* recommend you use it. Monkeytype used the Git source control management system for its version control. Assuming you don't have experience typing commmands in the command line, we suggest installing [Sourcetree](https://www.sourcetreeapp.com/). You will be able to utilize the power of Git without needing to remember any cryptic commands. However using a Git client won't give you access to the full functionality of Git but provides an easy to understand graphical user interface(GUI). Once you have downloaded Sourcetree, run the installer. While installing Sourcetree, keep your eyes peeled for the option to also install Git with Sourcetree. This is the option you will need to look for in order to install Git. **Make sure to click yes in the installer to install Git with Sourcetree.**
#### NodeJS
The installation process of NodeJS is fairly simple, navigate to the NodeJS [website](https://nodejs.org/en/) and download the `xx.xx.x LTS`. Run the installer once the download has finished.
1. Duplicate `.firebaserc_example`, rename the new file to `.firebaserc` and change the project name of default to the firebase project id you just created.
1. Run `npm run start:dev` to start a local dev server on [port 5000](http://localhost:5000). It will watch for changes and rebuild when you edit files in `src/` or `public/` directories. Use <kbd>Ctrl+ C</kbd> to abort it.
Code style is enforced by [Prettier](https://prettier.io/docs/en/install.html), which automatically runs every time you `git commit` (if you've followed the above instructions properly).
- Ensure that your contribution meets JSON standards (no trailing comma at the end of a list)
- Be sure to add your language to the `_list` and `_groups` files
- Make sure the number of words corresponds to the file name (for example: `languageName.json` is 200 words, `langugeName_1k.json` is 1000 words, and so on)
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or problems let me know on [GitHub](https://github.com/Miodec), [Discord](https://discord.gg/monkeytype) in the `#development` channel, or on Monkeytype's [GitHub discussions](https://github.com/Miodec/monkeytype/discussions).
