Files
LEDMatrix/CONTRIBUTING.md
T
Claude 4808132436 docs: correct semantically stale content across the user and developer guides
A second-pass content audit checked the guides' substantive claims
against the code (the first pass only fixed mechanical drift). Fixes:

- GETTING_STARTED: described booting a prebuilt SD image and seeing
  default clock/weather plugins — neither exists. Now documents the real
  install (Pi OS Lite + one-shot installer / first_time_install.sh) and
  that displays come from the Plugin Store. Duration and ordering
  instructions moved to the Rotation tab where the controls actually
  live.
- WEB_INTERFACE_GUIDE: three whole tabs were undocumented (Rotation,
  Backup & Restore, Tools) and the Display tab's Vegas Scroll section
  was unmentioned. Fonts overrides are per display element (not per
  plugin); Logs has an Auto-scroll checkbox (not a Pause button); the
  aspirational keyboard-shortcut list and no-JS claim removed.
- TROUBLESHOOTING: the hand-written service-file template (wrong user,
  wrong ExecStart, dropped the autostart gate) replaced with the real
  systemd/ units + install scripts; recovery steps no longer copy
  placeholder units verbatim; WiFi curl endpoint corrected to /api/v3/;
  cache-clearing advice now targets the real cache locations.
- ADVANCED_FEATURES: removed a false claim that CacheManager has no
  delete(); fixed two example snippets that raise TypeError
  (BackgroundDataService and get_config_file_mode signatures); fixed
  cache paths, a 5-minute TTL that is actually 1 hour, and the vegas
  table now links the complete 26-key reference.
- EMULATOR_SETUP_GUIDE: documented run.py flags that don't exist
  (--plugin/--test-plugins) removed in favor of dev_server.py and
  check_plugin.py; shipped emulator config values corrected (browser
  adapter default on :8888, not pygame).
- PLUGIN_QUICK_REFERENCE: drag-and-drop reordering is shipped, not
  'not yet supported'; discovery-fallback and registry-repo claims
  corrected. PLUGIN_API_REFERENCE: get_vegas_segment_width returns
  panels, not pixels. CONTRIBUTING: the repo uses flake8/mypy/bandit
  pre-commit hooks, not black/ruff, and tests need requirements-test.txt.
- SKIN_SYSTEM/DEVELOPER_QUICK_REFERENCE: stale module paths.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01SXb4mKcAkVaxkeTb3YnAdr
2026-08-06 01:56:13 +00:00

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Markdown

# Contributing to LEDMatrix
Thanks for considering a contribution! LEDMatrix is built with help from
the community and we welcome bug reports, plugins, documentation
improvements, and code changes.
## Quick links
- **Bugs / feature requests**: open an issue using one of the templates
in [`.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/`](.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/).
- **Real-time discussion**: the
[LEDMatrix Discord](https://discord.gg/uW36dVAtcT).
- **Plugin development**:
[`docs/PLUGIN_DEVELOPMENT_GUIDE.md`](docs/PLUGIN_DEVELOPMENT_GUIDE.md)
and the [`ledmatrix-plugins`](https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/ledmatrix-plugins)
repository.
- **Security issues**: see [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md). Please don't
open public issues for vulnerabilities.
## Setting up a development environment
1. Clone with submodules:
```bash
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/LEDMatrix.git
cd LEDMatrix
```
2. For development without hardware, run the dev preview server:
```bash
python3 scripts/dev_server.py
# then open http://localhost:5001
```
See [`docs/DEV_PREVIEW.md`](docs/DEV_PREVIEW.md) for details.
3. To run the full display in emulator mode:
```bash
EMULATOR=true python3 run.py
```
4. To target real hardware on a Raspberry Pi, follow the install
instructions in the root [`README.md`](README.md).
## Running the tests
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt -r requirements-test.txt
pytest
```
See [`docs/HOW_TO_RUN_TESTS.md`](docs/HOW_TO_RUN_TESTS.md) for details
on test markers, the per-plugin tests, and the web-interface
integration tests.
## Submitting changes
1. **Open an issue first** for non-trivial changes. This avoids
wasted work on PRs that don't fit the project direction.
2. **Create a topic branch** off `main`:
`feat/<short-description>`, `fix/<short-description>`,
`docs/<short-description>`.
3. **Keep PRs focused.** One conceptual change per PR. If you find
adjacent bugs while working, fix them in a separate PR.
4. **Follow the existing code style.** The pre-commit hooks run
`flake8` (E9, F63, F7, F82 plus bugbear `B` checks), `mypy` on
`src/`, `bandit`, and `gitleaks` — install them with
`pre-commit install` so they run on every commit; HTML/JS in
`web_interface/` follows the patterns already in `templates/v3/`
and `static/v3/`.
5. **Update documentation** alongside code changes. If you add a
config key, document it in the relevant `*.md` file (or, for
plugins, in `config_schema.json` so the form is auto-generated).
6. **Run the tests** locally before opening the PR.
7. **Use the PR template** — `.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md` will
prompt you for what we need.
## Commit message convention
Conventional Commits is encouraged but not strictly enforced:
- `feat: add NHL playoff bracket display`
- `fix(plugin-loader): handle missing class_name in manifest`
- `docs: correct web UI port in TROUBLESHOOTING.md`
- `refactor(cache): consolidate strategy lookup`
Keep the subject under 72 characters; put the why in the body.
## Contributing a plugin
LEDMatrix plugins live in their own repository:
[`ledmatrix-plugins`](https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/ledmatrix-plugins).
Plugin contributions go through that repo's
[`SUBMISSION.md`](https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/ledmatrix-plugins/blob/main/SUBMISSION.md)
process. The
[`hello-world` plugin](https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/ledmatrix-plugins/tree/main/plugins/hello-world)
is the canonical starter template.
## Reviewing pull requests
Maintainer review is by [@ChuckBuilds](https://github.com/ChuckBuilds).
Community review is welcome on any open PR — leave constructive
comments, test on your hardware if applicable, and call out anything
unclear.
## Code of conduct
This project follows the [Contributor Covenant](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md). By
participating you agree to abide by its terms.
## License
LEDMatrix is licensed under the [GNU General Public License v3.0 or
later](LICENSE). By submitting a contribution you agree to license it
under the same terms (the standard "inbound = outbound" rule that
GitHub applies by default).
LEDMatrix builds on
[`rpi-rgb-led-matrix`](https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix),
which is GPL-2.0-or-later. The "or later" clause makes it compatible
with GPL-3.0 distribution.