Create CONTRIBUTING.md

Author: Kelpejol

CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing to LLM Output Stability Gate
+
+Thanks for your interest in contributing! This document provides guidelines for contributions.
+
+## How to Contribute
+
+### Reporting Bugs
+
+- Check if the bug already exists in [Issues](https://github.com/kelpejol/llm-output-stability-gate/issues)
+- Use the bug report template
+- Include reproduction steps, expected vs actual behavior
+- Add relevant logs and environment info
+
+### Suggesting Features
+
+- Check existing [Issues](https://github.com/kelpejol/llm-output-stability-gate/issues) and [Discussions](https://github.com/kelpejol/llm-output-stability-gate/discussions)
+- Describe the problem you're solving
+- Explain your proposed solution
+- Consider backward compatibility
+
+### Pull Requests
+
+1. **Fork the repository**
+
+2. **Create a branch**
+   ```bash
+   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
+   ```
+
+3. **Make your changes**
+   - Write clear, documented code
+   - Add tests for new features
+   - Update documentation if needed
+
+4. **Test your changes**
+   ```bash
+   pytest -v
+   black gate/ tests/
+   ruff check gate/ tests/
+   ```
+
+5. **Commit with clear messages**
+   ```bash
+   git commit -m "feat: add new evaluation metric"
+   ```
+
+6. **Push and create PR**
+   ```bash
+   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
+   ```
+
+## Development Setup
+
+```bash
+# Clone your fork
+git clone https://github.com/your-username/llm-output-stability-gate.git
+cd llm-output-stability-gate
+
+# Create virtual environment
+python -m venv venv
+source venv/bin/activate  # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
+
+# Install dependencies
+pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
+
+# Install package in editable mode
+pip install -e .
+
+# Set up OpenAI API key (for tests that require it)
+export OPENAI_API_KEY=your_key_here
+
+# Run tests
+pytest
+```
+
+## Code Style
+
+- Follow PEP 8
+- Use type hints where possible
+- Write docstrings for functions
+- Format with Black: `black gate/ tests/`
+- Lint with Ruff: `ruff check gate/ tests/`
+
+## Commit Messages
+
+Use conventional commit format:
+
+- `feat:` New feature
+- `fix:` Bug fix
+- `docs:` Documentation changes
+- `test:` Test additions/changes
+- `refactor:` Code refactoring
+- `chore:` Maintenance tasks
+
+Example: `feat(evaluator): add support for custom UQLM scorers`
+
+## Testing Guidelines
+
+### Running Tests
+
+```bash
+# Run all tests (skips tests requiring API key)
+pytest
+
+# Run specific test file
+pytest tests/test_policy.py
+
+# Run with coverage
+pytest --cov=gate
+
+# Run tests that require API key (if you have one)
+pytest -m requires_api_key
+```
+
+### Writing Tests
+
+- Write tests for all new features
+- Mock external API calls when possible
+- Use `@pytest.mark.requires_api_key` for tests needing OpenAI
+- Aim for >80% code coverage
+
+### Test Structure
+
+```python
+class TestNewFeature:
+    """Tests for new feature."""
+    
+    def test_success_case(self):
+        """Test successful execution."""
+        result = my_function("input")
+        assert result == "expected"
+    
+    def test_error_case(self):
+        """Test error handling."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            my_function("invalid")
+```
+
+## Documentation
+
+- Update README.md for user-facing changes
+- Add docstrings to new functions/classes
+- Update API documentation if endpoints change
+- Include examples in docstrings
+
+## Security
+
+- Never commit API keys or secrets
+- Use `.env` for local development
+- Report security issues privately via email
+- Follow security best practices
+
+## Questions?
+
+- Open a [Discussion](https://github.com/kelpejol/llm-output-stability-gate/discussions)
+- Check existing [Issues](https://github.com/kelpejol/llm-output-stability-gate/issues)
+
+## Code of Conduct
+
+- Be respectful and inclusive
+- Provide constructive feedback
+- Focus on what is best for the community
+- Show empathy towards others
+
+Thank you for contributing! 🎉