docs-generate-contributing

name	docs-generate-contributing
description	Generate CONTRIBUTING.md for developer onboarding. Use when creating or updating contribution guides with setup instructions and development workflows.
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Edit, Write
context	fork
agent	user-docs

Generate CONTRIBUTING.md

Generates a CONTRIBUTING.md file to help developers set up their local environment and contribute to the project.

Philosophy

CONTRIBUTING.md is a developer onboarding document.

A good CONTRIBUTING.md helps new contributors:

1. Set up their local environment quickly
2. Understand available development commands
3. Follow code quality standards
4. Know the contribution process

Each project may have different requirements - extract actual values from package.json and project configuration rather than using generic placeholders.

Overview

This skill generates CONTRIBUTING.md by:

1. Reading package.json for environment requirements and scripts
2. Detecting tooling (package manager, linter, test framework)
3. Extracting code quality standards from config files
4. Generating project-specific setup instructions
5. Including contribution workflow (branching, commits, DCO)

Quick Start

Generate CONTRIBUTING.md for a module:

/design-docs:docs-generate-contributing my-package

Update existing CONTRIBUTING.md:

/design-docs:docs-generate-contributing my-package --update

Preview without writing:

/design-docs:docs-generate-contributing my-package --dry-run

How It Works

1. Parse Parameters

• module: Module name to generate CONTRIBUTING.md for [REQUIRED]
• --update: Update existing file, preserving custom sections
• --dry-run: Preview output without writing

2. Extract Environment Requirements

From package.json:

• engines.node → Node.js version requirement
• packageManager field → pnpm/npm/yarn version
• devDependencies → TypeScript version, test framework

From project root:

• .nvmrc or .node-version → Node version
• pnpm-lock.yaml / package-lock.json → Package manager detection

3. Extract Development Commands

From package.json.scripts, categorize commands:

Building:

• build, build:dev, build:prod, build:inspect

Testing:

• test, test:watch, test:coverage

Code Quality:

• lint, lint:fix, typecheck

4. Detect Code Quality Standards

From configuration files:

• biome.jsonc / .eslintrc → Linting rules
• tsconfig.json → TypeScript strictness
• vitest.config.ts → Coverage thresholds

5. Include Contribution Process

Standard sections:

• Branch naming conventions
• Commit message format (conventional commits)
• DCO signoff requirement
• PR process

6. Generate CONTRIBUTING.md

Fill template with extracted values - use actual versions and commands, not generic placeholders.

7. Validate Output

• All commands exist in package.json
• Version numbers are accurate
• No placeholder text remains

Supporting Documentation

Load these files for detailed guidance:

• instructions.md - Step-by-step implementation
• templates/contributing.template.md - Output template

Success Criteria

A generated CONTRIBUTING.md is successful when:

• ✅ Environment requirements match package.json
• ✅ All listed commands actually exist
• ✅ Version numbers are accurate (not placeholders)
• ✅ Code quality standards reflect actual config
• ✅ DCO requirement is clearly explained
• ✅ New contributors can set up environment from scratch

Integration Points

• Reads package.json for scripts and engines
• Reads config files (biome.jsonc, tsconfig.json, vitest.config.ts)
• Writes to module root as CONTRIBUTING.md
• Uses the design-docs:user-docs agent for generation

Related Skills

• /design-docs:user-docs-create-readme - Generate package README
• /design-docs:docs-generate-repo - Generate Level 2 docs
• /design-docs:docs-sync - Sync docs with changes