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ONBOARDING_CHECKLIST.md

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🚀 New Contributor Onboarding Checklist

Welcome to Stella! This checklist will help you get productive quickly. Follow these steps in order.

✅ Prerequisites: Initial Setup

Before diving into the code, complete these setup steps:

1. Install Dependencies

npm install                # Install all project dependencies

2. Configure Environment

cp .env.example .env       # Create your local environment file

Edit .env and set at minimum:

  • STELLAR_NETWORK=testnet (for safe testing)
  • API_KEYS=dev_key_1234567890 (or generate your own)
  • PORT=3000

3. Initialize Database

npm run init-db            # Set up local SQLite database

4. Verify Setup

npm run lint               # Should complete without errors
npm test                   # Run test suite (should pass)
npm run keys:list          # Verify API key management works

If any command fails, check that:

  • Node.js v18+ is installed: node --version
  • Dependencies installed successfully
  • .env file exists with required variables

✅ Day 1: Understand the Codebase

Repository Structure

  • Read ARCHITECTURE.md - understand the 3-layer design (API → Service → Stellar)
  • Explore src/ directory structure:
    • routes/ - API endpoints (your entry points)
    • services/ - Stellar blockchain logic (the core)
    • middleware/ - Auth, validation, rate limiting
    • utils/ - Helpers and validators
    • config/ - Network settings and constants

Key Concepts

  • Review Contributor Guide.txt - API workflow (Initialize → Sign → Submit)
  • Understand we use Stellar Testnet for development (never real funds)
  • Note: We follow stateless design - no private keys are stored

✅ Day 2: Local Development

Test the API Locally

npm start                  # Start the API server (Ctrl+C to stop)
# In another terminal:
curl http://localhost:3000/health  # Should return status with database check

Make Your First Change

  • Pick a "good first issue" from GitHub (look for good-first-issue label)
  • Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feat/your-feature-name
  • Common areas for contributions:
    • Wallet APIs (src/services/WalletService.js) - balance queries, key encryption
    • Donation APIs (src/services/DonationService.js) - recurring donations, metadata
    • Middleware (src/middleware/) - security, validation improvements

✅ Day 3: Development Workflow

Before You Code

  1. Check existing tests in tests/ to understand expected behavior
  2. Review related files in src/services/ for business logic patterns
  3. Use Stellar Laboratory (https://laboratory.stellar.org) to test transactions manually

While Coding

  • Follow the data flow: Route → Controller → Service → Stellar SDK
  • Never put Stellar SDK calls in controllers (keep them in services)
  • Use environment variables from .env (never hardcode secrets)

Before Submitting PR

npm run lint              # Fix any linting issues
npm test                  # Ensure all tests pass
npm run test:coverage     # Check coverage (aim for >80%)

📚 Essential Resources

Documentation

External Links

Common Commands

npm run dev               # Start with auto-reload
npm run keys:create       # Generate new API key
npm run init-db           # Initialize database
npm run validate:rbac     # Check permission configs

🎯 Your First PR Checklist

  • Branch name follows convention: feat/, fix/, or docs/
  • Code passes npm run lint
  • Tests pass with npm test
  • PR description links to issue: "Closes #42"
  • Changes are focused (one feature/fix per PR)
  • No secrets or private keys in code

💡 Pro Tips

  1. Stuck on Stellar errors? Check src/utils/stellarErrorHandler.js for common error translations
  2. Need test data? Use Friendbot to fund test accounts: https://laboratory.stellar.org/#account-creator
  3. Understanding middleware flow? Add console.logs in src/middleware/logger.js temporarily
  4. Want to see live transactions? Check Stellar Expert: https://stellar.expert/explorer/testnet

🧪 Validate Your Setup

Run this script to verify all onboarding instructions work:

bash scripts/validate-onboarding.sh

This checks:

  • All documentation files exist
  • Directory structure is correct
  • Key service files are present
  • npm scripts are configured
  • Dependencies are installed (if applicable)

🤝 Getting Help

  • Questions? Open a GitHub Discussion or comment on your issue
  • Found a bug? Check if it's already reported in Issues
  • Security concern? Email the maintainers (see Contributing.txt)

Ready to contribute? Pick an issue, create a branch, and start coding! 🎉