InvokeAI/docs/contributing/CONTRIBUTING.md

Welcome to Invoke AI

We're thrilled to have you here and we're excited for you to contribute.

Invoke AI originated as a project built by the community, and that vision carries forward today as we aim to build the best pro-grade tools available. We work together to incorporate the latest in AI/ML research, making these tools available in over 20 languages to artists and creatives around the world as part of our fully permissive OSS project designed for individual users to self-host and use.

Here are some guidelines to help you get started:

Technical Prerequisites

Front-end: You'll need a working knowledge of React and TypeScript.

Back-end: Depending on the scope of your contribution, you may need to know SQLite, FastAPI, Python, and Socketio. Also, a good majority of the backend logic involved in processing images is built in a modular way using a concept called "Nodes", which are isolated functions that carry out individual, discrete operations. This design allows for easy contributions of novel pipelines and capabilities.

How to Submit Contributions

To start contributing, please follow these steps:

1. Familiarize yourself with our roadmap and open projects to see where your skills and interests align. These documents can serve as a source of inspiration.
2. Open a Pull Request (PR) with a clear description of the feature you're adding or the problem you're solving. Make sure your contribution aligns with the project's vision.
3. Adhere to general best practices. This includes assuming interoperability with other nodes, keeping the scope of your functions as small as possible, and organizing your code according to our architecture documents.

Types of Contributions We're Looking For

We welcome all contributions that improve the project. Right now, we're especially looking for:

1. Quality of life (QOL) enhancements on the front-end.
2. New backend capabilities added through nodes.
3. Incorporating additional optimizations from the broader open-source software community.

Communication and Decision-making Process

Project maintainers and code owners review PRs to ensure they align with the project's goals. They may provide design or architectural guidance, suggestions on user experience, or provide more significant feedback on the contribution itself. Expect to receive feedback on your submissions, and don't hesitate to ask questions or propose changes.

For more robust discussions, or if you're planning to add capabilities not currently listed on our roadmap, please reach out to us on our Discord server. That way, we can ensure your proposed contribution aligns with the project's direction before you start writing code.

Code of Conduct and Contribution Expectations

We want everyone in our community to have a positive experience. To facilitate this, we've established a code of conduct and a statement of values that we expect all contributors to adhere to. Please take a moment to review these documents—they're essential to maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment.

By making a contribution to this project, you certify that:

1. The contribution was created in whole or in part by you and you have the right to submit it under the open-source license indicated in this project’s GitHub repository; or
2. The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best of your knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open-source license and you have the right under that license to submit that work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part by you, under the same open-source license (unless you are permitted to submit under a different license); or
3. The contribution was provided directly to you by some other person who certified (1) or (2) and you have not modified it; or
4. You understand and agree that this project and the contribution are public and that a record of the contribution (including all personal information you submit with it, including your sign-off) is maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed consistent with this project or the open-source license(s) involved.

This disclaimer is not a license and does not grant any rights or permissions. You must obtain necessary permissions and licenses, including from third parties, before contributing to this project.

This disclaimer is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. In no event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages, or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort, or otherwise, arising from, out of, or in connection with the contribution or the use or other dealings in the contribution.

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Remember, your contributions help make this project great. We're excited to see what you'll bring to our community!