Contributing to AetherPost

Thank you for your interest in contributing to AetherPost! We welcome contributions from developers of all skill levels.

Table of Contents

Getting Started

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.8 or higher
  • Git
  • Virtual environment tool (venv, conda, etc.)
  • Basic understanding of social media APIs

First-Time Contributors

1. Look for issues labeled good first issue or help wanted 2. Comment on the issue to claim it 3. Fork the repository 4. Create your feature branch 5. Submit a pull request

Development Setup

1. Fork and Clone

``bash

Fork via GitHub UI, then:

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/aetherpost.git cd aetherpost git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/aetherpost.git `

2. Environment Setup

`bash

Create virtual environment

python -m venv venv source venv/bin/activate # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

Install development dependencies

pip install -r requirements-dev.txt pip install -e .

Install pre-commit hooks

pre-commit install `

3. Configuration

`bash

Copy example configuration

cp .env.example .env

Run initial setup

aetherpost dev setup `

How to Contribute

Reporting Bugs

1. Check existing issues first 2. Use the bug report template 3. Include: - Clear description - Steps to reproduce - Expected vs actual behavior - System information - Error logs/screenshots

Suggesting Features

1. Check the roadmap and existing issues 2. Use the feature request template 3. Explain: - Use case - Proposed solution - Alternative approaches - Potential impact

Code Contributions

1. Find or Create an Issue

`bash

Good issue titles:

"Add Instagram Reels support" "Fix rate limiting in Twitter connector" "Improve error messages for auth failures" `

2. Create Feature Branch

`bash

Branch naming convention

git checkout -b feature/instagram-reels git checkout -b fix/twitter-rate-limit git checkout -b docs/api-examples `

3. Make Changes

  • Write clean, readable code
  • Follow existing patterns
  • Add/update tests
  • Update documentation

4. Commit Messages

`bash

Format: ():

Types: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore

Examples:

git commit -m "feat(instagram): add Reels posting support" git commit -m "fix(twitter): handle rate limit errors gracefully" git commit -m "docs(api): add webhook examples" `

Code Standards

Python Style Guide

  • Follow PEP 8
  • Use type hints
  • Maximum line length: 88 (Black default)
  • Use descriptive variable names
`python

Good

def post_content( content: str, platforms: List[str], schedule_time: Optional[datetime] = None ) -> Dict[str, PostResult]: """Post content to specified platforms.""" results = {} for platform in platforms: connector = get_connector(platform) results[platform] = connector.post(content, schedule_time) return results

Avoid

def post(c, p, t=None): r = {} for x in p: conn = get_conn(x) r[x] = conn.post(c, t) return r `

Documentation

  • All public functions need docstrings
  • Use Google-style docstrings
  • Include examples for complex functions
`python def create_campaign(config: Dict[str, Any]) -> Campaign: """Create a new campaign from configuration. Args: config: Campaign configuration dictionary containing: - name: Campaign name - schedule: Scheduling information - platforms: List of target platforms Returns: Campaign: Created campaign instance Raises: ValidationError: If configuration is invalid Example: >>> campaign = create_campaign({ ... "name": "Product Launch", ... "schedule": {"frequency": "daily"}, ... "platforms": ["twitter", "linkedin"] ... }) """ `

Error Handling

`python

Good: Specific error handling

try: result = api_call() except RateLimitError as e: logger.warning(f"Rate limit hit: {e}") return retry_with_backoff(api_call, e.retry_after) except AuthenticationError: logger.error("Authentication failed") raise except Exception as e: logger.exception("Unexpected error") raise AetherPostError(f"Operation failed: {e}")

Avoid: Bare except

try: result = api_call() except: pass `

Testing Guidelines

Test Structure

`python

tests/test_.py

import pytest from aetherpost.core import ContentGenerator

class TestContentGenerator: def test_create_basic_content(self): """Test basic content generation.""" generator = ContentGenerator() content = generator.create( topic="Technology", tone="professional", length=280 ) assert len(content["text"]) <= 280 assert content["metadata"]["tone"] == "professional" def test_platform_optimization(self): """Test platform-specific optimization.""" # Test implementation `

Running Tests

`bash

Run all tests

pytest

Run specific test file

pytest tests/test_connectors.py

Run with coverage

pytest --cov=aetherpost --cov-report=html

Run specific test

pytest tests/test_connectors.py::TestTwitter::test_post `

Test Requirements

  • Minimum 80% code coverage
  • All new features must have tests
  • Bug fixes should include regression tests
  • Use mocks for external API calls

Pull Request Process

1. Before Submitting

  • [ ] Tests pass locally
  • [ ] Code follows style guidelines
  • [ ] Documentation is updated
  • [ ] Commit messages follow convention
  • [ ] Branch is up to date with main

2. PR Template

`markdown

Description

Brief description of changes

Type of Change

  • [ ] Bug fix
  • [ ] New feature
  • [ ] Breaking change
  • [ ] Documentation update

Testing

  • [ ] Unit tests pass
  • [ ] Integration tests pass
  • [ ] Manual testing completed

Checklist

  • [ ] Code follows project style
  • [ ] Self-review completed
  • [ ] Documentation updated
  • [ ] No new warnings
``

3. Review Process

1. Automated checks run 2. Code review by maintainer 3. Address feedback 4. Approval and merge

4. After Merge

  • Delete your feature branch
  • Pull latest main
  • Celebrate! 🎉

Community Guidelines

Code of Conduct

  • Be respectful and inclusive
  • Welcome newcomers
  • Provide constructive feedback
  • Focus on what's best for the community

Communication Channels

  • GitHub Issues: Bug reports, features
  • Discord: Real-time discussion
  • Email: security@aetherpost.dev (security issues only)

Getting Help

  • Check documentation first
  • Search existing issues
  • Ask in Discord #help channel
  • Be patient and respectful

Recognition

Contributors

All contributors are recognized in:
  • README.md contributors section
  • GitHub contributors page
  • Release notes

Special Recognitions

  • 🌟 Core Contributor: 10+ merged PRs
  • 🐛 Bug Hunter: 5+ bug fixes
  • 📚 Documentation Hero: Significant docs improvements
  • 🚀 Feature Champion: Major feature implementation

License

By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the same license as the project (MIT License).

Questions?

Feel free to:

  • Open a discussion on GitHub
  • Ask in Discord
  • Email maintainers@aetherpost.dev

Thank you for contributing to AetherPost! Your efforts help make social media automation accessible to everyone. 🙏