Merge pull request #260 from limbonaut/doc-contributing

Doc: Add Contributing page

README.md

@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ LimboAI can be used as either a C++ module or as a GDExtension shared library. G
 
 ## Contributing
 
-Contributions are welcome! Please open issues for bug reports, feature requests, or code changes. Keep the minor versions backward-compatible when submitting pull requests.
+Contributions are welcome! Please open issues for bug reports, feature requests, or code changes.
+For detailed guidelines on contributing to code or documentation, check out our [Contributing](https://limboai.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting-started/contributing.html) page.
 
 If you have an idea for a behavior tree task or a feature that could be useful in a variety of projects, open an issue to discuss it.
 

doc/source/getting-started/contributing.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+.. _contributing:
+
+Contributing
+============
+
+We target the latest stable version of the Godot Engine for development until a
+third beta or a release candidate of an upcoming Godot release becomes available.
+If you want to contribute to the project, please ensure that you are using the
+corresponding Godot version.
+
+We follow the `Godot code style guidelines <https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/contributing/development/code_style_guidelines.html#doc-code-style-guidelines>`_.
+Please use ``clang-format`` to maintain consistent styling. You can install
+``pre-commit`` hooks for Git using ``pre-commit install`` to automate this process.
+
+Please keep the minor versions backward-compatible when submitting pull requests.
+
+We support building LimboAI as a module for the Godot Engine and as a GDExtension library.
+Make sure your contribution is compatible with both. Our CI workflow will verify
+that your changes can be compiled in both configurations.
+
+Compiling as module of the Godot Engine
+---------------------------------------
+
+1. Clone the Godot Engine repository.
+2. Switch to the latest stable tag.
+3. Clone the LimboAI repository into the ``modules/limboai`` directory.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   git clone https://github.com/godotengine/godot.git
+   git checkout 4.3-stable  # Replace "4.3-stable" with the latest stable tag
+   git clone https://github.com/limbonaut/limboai modules/limboai
+
+Consult the `Godot Engine documentation <https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/contributing/development/compiling/index.html>`_~
+for detailed instructions on building the engine.
+
+**Unit tests** can be compiled using the ``tests=yes`` build option. To execute them,
+run the compiled Godot binary with the ``--test --tc="*[LimboAI]*"`` command-line options.
+
+Compiling as GDExtension library
+--------------------------------
+
+You'll need the SCons build tool and a C++ compiler. See also `Compiling <https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/contributing/development/compiling/index.html>`_.
+Run ``scons target=editor`` to build the plugin library for your current platform.
+
+- SCons will automatically clone the ``godot-cpp`` repository if it doesn't already exist in the ``limboai/godot-cpp`` directory.
+- By default, built targets are placed in the demo project: ``demo/addons/limboai/bin/``.
+
+Check ``scons -h`` for other options and targets.
+
+Contributing to the documentation
+---------------------------------
+
+Online documentation is created using `Sphinx <https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/>`_.
+Source files are located in the ``doc/source`` directory in RST format and can
+be built locally with ``sphinx-build``. See the
+`Sphinx documentation <https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/tutorial/getting-started.html>`_
+for more details.
+
+Class documentation resides in XML files within the ``doc_classes/`` directory.
+If you create a new class or modify an existing one, you can run the compiled
+Godot binary with the ``--doctool`` option in the root of the Godot source code
+to generate the missing XML files or sections within those files in the class documentation.
+After editing the XML files, please run the compiled editor binary with the ``--doctool``
+option again to update and tidy up the XML files.
+
+Sphinx RST files for the class documentation are generated from
+XML files using the Godot script ``make_rst.py`` and stored in the ``doc/source/classes`` directory.
+This process is performed using our own script ``gdextension/update_rst.sh``. RST files
+in ``doc/source/classes`` should not be edited manually.

doc/source/index.rst

@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ Creating your own behavior trees
    getting-started/gdextension
    getting-started/c-sharp
    getting-started/featured-classes
+   getting-started/contributing
 
 .. toctree::
    :hidden: