---
title: Contributing
---

# Contributing

RocketRide is MIT-licensed and developed in the open at
[rocketride-org/rocketride-server](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server).
There are more ways in than writing C++ — pick the one that fits:

| I want to… | Start here |
| --- | --- |
| Report a bug or request a feature | [Issue templates](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/issues/new/choose) |
| Improve these docs | [Improve the docs](#improve-the-docs) |
| Add an example | [Docs & examples](#improve-the-docs) |
| Build a new node | [Build a node](#build-a-node) |
| Work on the engine, SDKs, or protocol | [Contribute code](#contribute-code) |
| Help other users | [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/discussions), [Discord](https://discord.gg/PMXrtenMsY) |

All participation falls under the
[Code of Conduct](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/blob/develop/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

## Report bugs & request features

Use the
[issue templates](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/issues/new/choose)
— the [Get Help page](/support/get-help#before-you-ask) lists what to include
so a report lands in one round-trip. **Security vulnerabilities are the
exception:** report them privately via
[GitHub Security Advisories](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/security/advisories/new)
or security@rocketride.ai, never as a public issue
([security policy](/support/security-policy)).

## Every change starts with an issue

Every pull request must be linked to an issue (`Fixes #123` — enforced by
CI), and branch names embed the issue number. The difference is how long to
wait:

- **Docs and examples**: open the issue and PR right away — no discussion
  needed.
- **New nodes, engine core, and protocol changes**: open the issue first and
  get a nod before building. It protects your time — a node or engine change
  that conflicts with platform direction is hard to accept after the fact.

## Improve the docs

Docs live in the same repo as the code, under
[`docs/`](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/tree/develop/docs)
— what you're reading is built from `docs/public/`. Two things to know:

- Some content is **generated** (node parameter tables, SDK references,
  package README copies) — regenerated by the build, never edited by hand.
  Hand-written prose is fair game.
- Validate before you push: `node scripts/build.js docs:build` builds the
  site with a broken-link gate, and `./builder docs:check` catches generated
  drift.

Prose fixes are the easiest first contribution there is.

## Build a node

Nodes are self-contained Python packages under
[`nodes/src/nodes/`](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/tree/develop/nodes/src/nodes)
— most of the [node catalog](/nodes) was built with the same contract you'd
use. Open an issue describing the node first (see above), then follow the
contributor guides in the repo:

- [Node authoring](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/tree/develop/docs/development/nodes)
  — the README and `services.json` contracts, and the catalog.
- Contract tests: `./builder nodes:test`, plus
  `python3 scripts/validate-node-readme.py <node-dir>` for the README.

## Contribute code

1. Fork, then branch off `develop`. Branch names follow
   `<type>/RR-<issue>-<short-description>` (e.g.
   `fix/RR-123-sql-injection-prevention`) — a ruleset enforces this.
2. Read
   [AGENTS.md](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/blob/develop/AGENTS.md)
   — the repo's contributor guide — and
   [`docs/development/`](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/tree/develop/docs/development)
   for setup, builder usage, and engine internals.
3. Build and test with the builder: `./builder build`, `./builder test`.
4. Use conventional commits (`feat(scope):`, `fix(scope):`, `docs(scope):`).

The repo's
[CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/blob/develop/CONTRIBUTING.md)
is the canonical process reference.

## Review

Pull requests target `develop`. CI runs the build, the test suites, and the
docs gates; a maintainer reviews from there. Unsure whether something is worth
building? Ask first in
[Discussions](https://github.com/rocketride-org/rocketride-server/discussions)
— a five-minute conversation beats a closed PR.