Contributing to Tethys Platform

Last Updated: December 2024

Welcome to the Contribute to Tethys Platform documentation! We are thrilled to have you here and appreciate your interest in contributing to our project. Whether you are a long-time open source contributor or new to open-source, your contributions are valuable and help us improve and grow the Tethys Platform.

Getting Started

To get started with contributing to Tethys Platform, please do the following:

• Review the documentation relevant to the way you plan to contribute, whether it's code, documentation, or community support.

• Familiarize yourself with the Community Policies that help us maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all contributors.

• Introduce yourself on one or more of our Communication Channels to connect with other contributors.

• Review the Developer Certificate of Origin, which you will be required to sign during your first pull request.

• Join the Tethys Geoscience Foundation by signing up for a membership at Tethys Geoscience Foundation.

However you plan to contribute, we are excited to have you on board and look forward to your contributions!

Ways to Contribute

There are many ways you can contribute to the Tethys Platform, each of which is valuable and appreciated. Whether you prefer writing code, improving documentation, or engaging with the community, your efforts help make the project better for everyone. Below are some of the primary ways you can get involved.

Contribute Code

Tethys Platform is a Django-based website project, and we are looking for developers with experience or who are interested in learning Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and SQL to help us improve and expand the platform. Experience with Django development is also helpful, but not required. Whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting out, your contributions are valuable. You don't need to be a veteran programmer to make a difference. Review the documentation linked below to learn how you can contribute code to Tethys Platform.

• Contributing Code
  • Getting Started Tutorial
  • Setup Development Environment
  • Development Process
  • Docker Development
  • Writing Tests
  • Continuous Integration and Automation
  • Managing Issues
  • Maintain Dependencies
  • Deploying New Versions

Contribute Documentation

Maintaining thorough documentation has been a priority since the inception of Tethys Platform, however, there is always room for improvement. You can help by improving existing documentation, writing new guides, or translating content. Clear and comprehensive documentation makes it easier for others to use and contribute to Tethys Platform, and your contributions in this area are highly valued.

• Contributing Documentation
  • Getting Started
  • Guidelines
  • Organization
  • Publishing

Support the Community

The Tethys Platform community is composed of a diverse group of app users, app developers, and contributors from around the world. You can help support the community by answering questions, providing support, and sharing your knowledge on the Tethys Platform Discussions forum. Alternatively, you can help maintain and triage Issues or report new issues or security vulnerabilities. Other opportunities include content writing for the Tethys Geoscience Foundation website and social media and replying to comments on social media. Engaging with the community is a great way to contribute and help ensure the success of the Tethys Platform.

• Supporting the Community
  • Discussions
  • Help with Issues
  • Report a Security Vulnerability
  • Social Media

Communication Channels

We are eager to help you on your journey to becoming a Tethys Platform contributor. Join one or more of our communication channels to stay updated, ask questions, and, most importantly, form relationships with other contributors who can guide you to success.

• Introduce yourself on the Tethys Platform GitHub Discussions page in the Contributors category to connect with other contributors.

• Join the #tethys-platform channel on the Tethys Geoscience Foundation Discord Server to chat with other contributors in real time.

• Join us for our weekly Tethys Scrum web meeting on Fridays at 1:00 pm US Mountain Time. Request a link to the meeting by emailing mailto:tethysplatform@tethysgeoscience.org.

• Follow the Tethys Geoscience Foundation, the non-profit that supports Tethys Platform, on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to get the latest news and updates about Tethys Platform and other Tethys Geoscience Foundation projects.

Community Policies

To ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for all contributors, we have established a set of community policies. These policies include our Code of Conduct, which outlines the standards for behavior and interactions within the Tethys Platform community. Adhering to these guidelines helps maintain a positive and productive atmosphere for everyone involved. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with these policies before contributing.

• Code of Conduct

Developer Certificate of Origin

TODO: need input on how to proceed with this. See: GitHub Discussion: Shall we adopt a CLA or DCO?

To protect the rights of contributors and ensure that Tethys Platform remains open-source, we require all contributors to sign a Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO). This happens in an automated fashion during the submission of the first pull request. Tethys Geoscience Foundation uses the DCO developed by the Linux Foundation:

• Developer Certificate of Origin