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Generate a CONTRIBUTING.md for Your Project

bagwaa @bagwaa · Mar 25, 2026 · Workflows
generate-a-contributingmd-for-your-project

A missing or outdated CONTRIBUTING.md means every new contributor asks the same questions in issues or PRs. Claude can read your project structure and write a complete guide in one pass.

Read the project structure, package.json, and any existing docs, 
then write a CONTRIBUTING.md. Include: how to set up the dev 
environment, branching and commit message conventions, how to 
run tests, the PR process, and code style guidelines.

Claude produces a guide tailored to your actual stack — not a generic template:

## Development Setup

1. Clone the repo and install dependencies:
   \`\`\`bash
   git clone https://github.com/you/project
   npm install
   cp .env.example .env
   \`\`\`
2. Start the development server: `npm run dev`

## Branching Convention

- `feature/short-description` for new features
- `fix/short-description` for bug fixes
- Branch from `main`, PR back to `main`

## Running Tests

\`\`\`bash
npm run test          # unit tests
npm run test:e2e      # Playwright E2E suite
\`\`\`

You can ask Claude to tailor the tone too — formal for enterprise OSS, casual for a personal project. It will also add sections for first-time contributors, a code of conduct pointer, and a "good first issue" guide if you ask.

A good CONTRIBUTING.md is a force multiplier — it answers questions before they're asked and makes your repo approachable to contributors who don't know you.

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