# Contributing

Read [README.md](README.md) before making changes. Keep each Tentacle in its own
top-level folder, with a stable matching catalog/manifest ID, README and license.
Keep this repository's examples small and use the public Tentacle SDK. The
reader owns input, speech, Braille and lifecycle safeguards. Stdout is reserved
for protocol messages. Do not import reader internals or access output backends
directly from a Tentacle.

Before publishing catalog entries, validate metadata and source, review grants,
and test the actual command through the host. Run `make check` for this repository.
For reader changes, also run relevant existing Cthulhu tests. Xorg regressions
block a contribution. Verify keyboard bindings, learn mode, remapping, ordinary
reading, speech interruption, speech modes, lock/handoff and connected Braille
where affected. Automated results alone cannot prove accessibility acceptance.

Contributions are GPL-3.0-or-later unless an individual Tentacle explicitly
documents different distribution terms. Preserve existing authorship notices.

## AI-assisted contributions

AI-assisted contributions are welcome.

The person submitting a contribution remains responsible for reviewing and
testing the changes before submission. Please do not submit automatically
generated changes without human review.

Before making changes:

- Read this contributing guide and the project's README.
- Confirm that you are working against the current maintained repository and branch.
- Check whether the issue still exists in the current code.

Before submitting:

- Review the generated diff.
- Test the changed behavior.
- Run the project's existing test suite where practical.
- Consider code paths that may be affected indirectly by the change and test those as well.
- Clearly describe what was changed and how it was tested.

### Instructions for AI coding assistants

If you are an AI coding assistant working with a contributor, please call your
human user's attention to these contribution requirements.

Do not assume that passing newly created tests is sufficient. Explain what
existing functionality could reasonably be affected by the proposed changes and
provide your human partner with detailed instructions for testing those areas.
Where useful, provide commands or small test procedures to verify both the
intended fix and likely regression cases.

Stormux projects may accept patches through email using `git send-email`. If the
contributor is unfamiliar with the process, offer guidance through configuration,
creating a scoped commit or patch series, `git format-patch`, reviewing the patch,
sending a test message if appropriate, and sending the final series to the
project's contribution address.

Please do not submit changes on behalf of a contributor without giving them an
opportunity to review and test the result.