This skill should be used when the user is writing a CONTRIBUTING.md, setting up developer onboarding, creating a Makefile or justfile, adding issue templates, adding PR templates, writing a README, creating a CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, setting up CODEOWNERS, adding .editorconfig, configuring devcontainers, labeling good first issues, or building project community and governance. Covers one-command dev setup, task automation, contributor funnel, and community health files.
This skill should be used when the user is writing a CONTRIBUTING.md, setting up developer onboarding, creating a Makefile or justfile, adding issue templates, adding PR templates, writing a README, creating a CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, setting up CODEOWNERS, adding .editorconfig, configuring devcontainers, labeling good first issues, or building project community and governance. Covers one-command dev setup, task automation, contributor funnel, and community health files.
version
1.0.0
Make Contributing Effortless
The single biggest factor in whether someone contributes to a project is how fast they can get a working development environment. If clone-to-passing-tests takes more than 60 seconds, every additional minute costs potential contributors. FastAPI, Pydantic, and httpx all converge on the same pattern: one prerequisite (uv), one command (uv sync --group dev), and every common task wrapped in a Makefile target. Invest in developer experience early -- every minute spent here pays back tenfold in contributor time saved.
One-Command Dev Setup
Target clone-to-running-tests in under 60 seconds. The modern standard uses uv with a committed lock file.
git clone https://github.com/org/my-package
cd my-package
uv sync --group dev # Creates venv, installs package + all dev deps
uv run pytest # Tests pass on first try
What makes this possible:
Commit uv.lock to the repo for deterministic installs across machines
Use PEP 735 dependency groups ([dependency-groups] in pyproject.toml) with a dev group
Require no environment variables or config files to get started
Rely on uv to install the correct Python version automatically
Step
Legacy (2020)
Modern (2026)
Install Python
pyenv install 3.x
uv handles it
Create virtualenv
python -m venv .venv
uv sync creates it
Activate
source .venv/bin/activate
Not needed (uv run)
Install deps
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
uv sync --group dev
Install package
pip install -e .
Included in uv sync
Run tests
pytest
uv run pytest
Total commands
5-6
2 (clone + sync)
Task Automation with Makefile
Wrap every common operation in a Makefile target. Contributors type make test instead of remembering uv run pytest --cov --cov-report=term-missing -x -v. Use make help as the default target to make commands discoverable.
Required targets:
Target
Purpose
make dev
Install all dev dependencies + pre-commit hooks
make test
Run tests with coverage
make test-fast
Run tests without coverage (-x -q)
make lint
Run Ruff check + mypy
make format
Run Ruff format + fix
make docs
Serve docs locally with live reload
make build
Build sdist + wheel
make clean
Remove build artifacts and caches
make help
Show available targets (default goal)
Every CI step must map to a Makefile target.make lint locally runs the same checks as the lint CI job. If contributors cannot reproduce CI locally, they will push-and-pray.
Use justfile instead of Makefile only for team projects where contributors can install just. For open source libraries, Makefile is the safe default because it is pre-installed on macOS and Linux.
CONTRIBUTING.md
Include a CONTRIBUTING.md in the repository root. GitHub surfaces it automatically when users open issues and PRs. Structure it as a funnel from easiest to hardest contributions, following FastAPI's exemplary pattern.
Required sections (in order):
Welcome message -- thank potential contributors, set the tone
Ways to contribute -- list non-code contributions first (bug reports, docs, reviews)
Prerequisites -- document the single prerequisite (uv installation command)
Development setup -- exact shell commands, copy-pasteable
Running tests -- full suite, single file, pattern match, coverage
Code style -- tools used (Ruff, mypy), how to run them, pre-commit setup
Making changes -- branch naming, commit conventions, PR process
Documentation -- how to build and preview docs locally
Changelog entries -- Towncrier fragment format if applicable
Getting help -- link to GitHub Discussions
Rules for the contributing guide:
Start with the easiest contributions (starring the repo, helping others on issues)
Provide exact shell commands for every step -- never say "set up your environment"
Explain the PR review process: who reviews, expected turnaround, merge strategy
Test the commands in your contributing guide in CI to prevent documentation drift
Issue and PR Templates
Issue Templates
Place YAML form templates in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/. Use structured forms instead of freeform markdown. Provide separate templates for bug reports and feature requests.
Bug report template must collect:
Description, steps to reproduce (with code block placeholder), expected vs actual behavior
Package version, Python version, operating system (as dropdown)
Additional context (optional)
Feature request template must collect:
Problem or motivation, proposed solution (with code block placeholder)
Alternatives considered, willingness to submit a PR (as dropdown)
Disable blank issues in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml with blank_issues_enabled: false. Redirect questions to GitHub Discussions via contact_links. Redirect security reports to the security advisory page.
PR Template
Place at .github/pull_request_template.md. Keep it short -- five to seven checklist items is the sweet spot. Templates with 20 checkboxes get ignored.
Required checklist items: tests added/updated, documentation updated, changelog entry added, CI passes, self-reviewed the diff. Include a type-of-change section (bug fix, feature, breaking change, docs, refactoring).
Community Health Files
CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
Adopt the Contributor Covenant v2.1. Place it at CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md in the repository root. Designate specific enforcement contacts (not just "the project team"). Its absence signals that the project has not thought about community safety.
CODEOWNERS
Place at .github/CODEOWNERS. Map file patterns to responsible reviewers. This automatically requests reviews from the right people and, with branch protection, requires their approval before merging.
Ship an .editorconfig to enforce consistent whitespace regardless of individual editor settings. Set 4-space indent for Python, 2-space for YAML/JSON/TOML, tab for Makefile, and disable trailing whitespace trimming for Markdown.
SECURITY.md
See the security-supply-chain skill for the full SECURITY.md template, reporting channels, and response timeline.
README Best Practices
The README is the front page of the project. Most potential users decide within 30 seconds whether to keep reading.
Required sections (in order):
Badges -- PyPI version, Python versions, CI status, coverage (four badges, no more)
One-sentence elevator pitch -- what the package does and why it exists
Features -- 5-8 bullet points maximum
Installation -- pip install my-package
Quick start -- 5-15 lines of runnable code
Documentation link -- link to full docs
Contributing link -- link to CONTRIBUTING.md
License
Include in README
Keep out of README
Badges (4 max)
Full API reference
One-sentence pitch
Changelog
Feature list (5-8 items)
Detailed contributing instructions
Installation command
Every configuration option
Minimal quick-start example
CI matrix badges
Link to full docs
Animated GIFs (unless CLI tool)
First-Time Contributor Experience
Label issues as good first issue to signal approachable entry points. Effective good-first-issues are well-scoped (one file change), documented (pointers to relevant code), and non-blocking (not on the critical path).
Good "Good First Issue"
Bad "Good First Issue"
"Add type annotation to parse_config() in src/config.py"
"Refactor the plugin system"
"Add test for empty input to Client.fetch()"
"Fix the CI pipeline"
"Fix typo in API reference for validate()"
"Improve performance"
Structure the contribution path as a deliberate funnel: star/use the package, report a bug, fix a typo, add a test, implement a feature, review PRs, become a regular contributor. Each step should be explicitly documented and encouraged in CONTRIBUTING.md.
Review Checklist
When reviewing a project for developer experience and community health:
Clone-to-passing-tests works in under 60 seconds with uv sync --group dev && uv run pytest
uv.lock is committed to the repository for deterministic installs
Makefile or justfile exists with help, dev, test, lint, format, docs, build, and clean targets
Every CI step maps to a local Makefile/justfile target
CONTRIBUTING.md exists with copy-pasteable setup commands, test instructions, and PR process
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ contains bug report and feature request YAML form templates
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml disables blank issues and redirects questions to Discussions
.github/pull_request_template.md exists with 5-7 checklist items
CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md (Contributor Covenant v2.1) is present with designated enforcement contacts
.editorconfig is present with correct settings for Python, YAML, Makefile, and Markdown
README has badges (version, Python versions, CI, coverage), elevator pitch, install command, and quick-start example
good first issue labels exist on well-scoped, documented issues
CODEOWNERS file exists for multi-maintainer projects
Contributing guide commands are tested in CI to prevent documentation drift
