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Contributing to helios

This guide provides an overview of the contribution process and links to detailed documentation.

Getting Started​

Prerequisites​

  • C++23 compatible compiler (MSVC 19.38+, GCC 13.2+, or Clang 17+)
  • CMake 4.0 or higher
  • Git for version control
  • Familiarity with C++ modules

Quick Setup​

# Fork and clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/helios.git
cd helios

# Add upstream remote
git remote add upstream https://github.com/thorstensuckow/helios.git

# Create a feature branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

# Build the project
cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
cmake --build build --config Debug

# Run tests
cd build
ctest -C Debug --output-on-failure

Contribution Workflow​

  1. Choose an issue or create a new one describing your proposed change
  2. Fork the repository and create a feature branch
  3. Make your changes following the code style guide
  4. Write tests for your changes
  5. Update documentation if you modify public APIs
  6. Commit using conventional commit format
  7. Push to your fork and open a pull request

Commit Message Format​

helios follows Conventional Commits:

<type>[optional scope]: <description>

[optional body]

[optional footer]

Common types:

  • feat: – New feature
  • fix: – Bug fix
  • refactor: – Code restructuring
  • docs: – Documentation changes
  • test: – Test additions/changes
  • perf: – Performance improvements

Example:

feat(rendering): add HDR rendering support

Implements tone mapping and exposure controls for HDR pipeline.

Fixes #123

See the Contributing Guide for detailed commit conventions.

Code Quality Standards​

Before submitting a PR, ensure:

  • Code compiles in both Debug and Release modes
  • All tests pass (ctest -C Debug --output-on-failure)
  • Code is formatted (clang-format -i <files>)
  • No new warnings introduced
  • Public APIs documented with Doxygen comments
  • CHANGELOG updated (if applicable)
Automated Checks

GitHub Actions automatically runs build and test workflows on all pull requests. You can view the CI status in your PR.

Continuous Integration​

helios uses GitHub Actions for automated testing and deployment:

  • Tests – Multi-platform testing on Windows, Linux (GCC 13, Clang 17), and macOS
  • Deploy helios Documentation – Automatically deploys website on changes to main
  • Custom Workflows – Manual triggers for:
    • Rebuild website on demand
    • Generate Doxygen API documentation
    • Update changelog from GitHub milestones
    • Run performance benchmarks

See .github/workflows/README.md for detailed workflow documentation.

Review Process​

  • At least one maintainer approval required
  • Address feedback by adding new commits (don't force-push during review)
  • Maintainers may squash commits during merge for a clean history

Resources​

▸ Documentation – Full project documentation
▸ Issue Tracker – Report bugs or request features
▸ Discussions – Ask questions
▸ License – MIT License

Questions?​

If you have questions or need help:

Thank you for contributing to helios! 🕹️