feat: comprehensive codebase improvements for production readiness (#10)

This major refactor enhances marksman.nvim's robustness, performance, and maintainability while preserving full backward compatibility.
The plugin now provides better error handling, memory management, and user experience improvements.

Author: alexekdahl

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+# Contributing to Marksman.nvim
+
+Thank you for your interest in contributing to Marksman.nvim! This document provides guidelines for contributing to this project.
+
+## Getting Started
+
+1. **Fork the repository** and clone your fork locally
+2. **Create a new branch** for your feature or bug fix
+3. **Test your changes** thoroughly
+4. **Submit a pull request** with a clear description
+
+## Development Setup
+
+### Prerequisites
+- Neovim >= 0.8.0
+- Git
+- Lua 5.1+ (for testing outside Neovim)
+
+### Code Quality Tools
+```bash
+# Install luacheck for linting
+luarocks install luacheck
+
+# Install stylua for formatting
+cargo install stylua
+
+# Run linting
+luacheck lua/
+
+# Run formatting
+stylua lua/
+```
+
+## Code Style
+
+### Lua Style Guidelines
+- Use **snake_case** for functions and variables
+- Use **PascalCase** for classes/modules
+- **Indent with tabs** (width: 4)
+- **Line length**: 100 characters max
+- **Use meaningful variable names**
+
+### Documentation
+- Add **JSDoc-style comments** for public functions
+- Include **@param** and **@return** annotations
+- Document **complex logic** with inline comments
+
+Example:
+```lua
+---Add a mark at the current cursor position
+---@param name string|nil Optional mark name (auto-generated if nil)
+---@param description string|nil Optional mark description
+---@return table result Result with success, message, and mark_name
+function M.add_mark(name, description)
+    -- Implementation here
+end
+```
+
+## Project Structure
+
+```
+lua/marksman/
+├── init.lua      -- Main plugin entry point
+├── storage.lua   -- Mark persistence and project management
+├── ui.lua        -- Floating window and interface
+└── utils.lua     -- Utilities and validation
+```
+
+## Contribution Types
+
+### Bug Fixes
+1. **Create an issue** describing the bug
+2. **Include reproduction steps** and expected behavior
+3. **Write a test case** if applicable
+4. **Fix the bug** and ensure tests pass
+
+### New Features
+1. **Discuss the feature** in an issue first
+2. **Ensure it aligns** with the plugin's focused scope
+3. **Write comprehensive documentation**
+4. **Add configuration options** if needed
+
+### Documentation
+- **Fix typos** and improve clarity
+- **Add examples** for complex features
+- **Update README** with new functionality
+
+## Testing Guidelines
+
+### Manual Testing
+- Test with **multiple projects**
+- Verify **mark persistence** across sessions
+- Test **edge cases** (empty files, special characters)
+- Check **memory usage** with large mark sets
+
+### Test Scenarios
+1. **Basic Operations**:
+   - Add/delete/rename marks
+   - Jump to marks
+   - Search functionality
+
+2. **Project Switching**:
+   - Marks isolated per project
+   - Correct project detection
+
+3. **Error Handling**:
+   - Invalid file paths
+   - Corrupted storage files
+   - Memory limits
+
+4. **UI Testing**:
+   - Window sizing and positioning
+   - Keyboard navigation
+   - Search and filtering
+
+## Performance Considerations
+
+### Memory Efficiency
+- **Lazy load modules** when possible
+- **Clean up resources** on plugin disable
+- **Cache strategically** with expiration
+- **Debounce operations** to reduce I/O
+
+### Code Patterns
+```lua
+-- Good: Lazy loading
+local function get_storage()
+    if not storage then
+        storage = require("marksman.storage")
+    end
+    return storage
+end
+
+-- Good: Error handling
+local ok, result = pcall(function()
+    -- Potentially failing operation
+end)
+if not ok then
+    notify("Operation failed: " .. tostring(result), vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+    return false
+end
+```
+
+## Error Handling
+
+### Guidelines
+- **Always handle errors** gracefully
+- **Provide meaningful messages** to users
+- **Log technical details** for debugging
+- **Fallback to safe defaults** when possible
+
+### Error Message Format
+```lua
+-- User-facing: Clear and actionable
+notify("Cannot add mark: file is not readable", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+
+-- Debug: Technical details
+notify("Failed to save marks: " .. tostring(err), vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+```
+
+## Configuration Design
+
+### Principles
+- **Sensible defaults** that work out of the box
+- **Granular options** for customization
+- **Backward compatibility** when possible
+- **Validation** for user inputs
+
+### Example Configuration
+```lua
+require("marksman").setup({
+    -- Core functionality
+    max_marks = 100,
+    auto_save = true,
+    
+    -- UI preferences
+    minimal = false,
+    silent = false,
+    
+    -- Performance tuning
+    debounce_ms = 500,
+    
+    -- Customization
+    keymaps = { ... },
+    highlights = { ... },
+})
+```
+
+## Pull Request Process
+
+### Before Submitting
+1. **Test thoroughly** on your system
+2. **Run linting** and fix issues
+3. **Update documentation** if needed
+4. **Rebase on main** branch
+
+### PR Description Template
+```markdown
+## Description
+Brief description of changes
+
+## Type of Change
+- [ ] Bug fix
+- [ ] New feature
+- [ ] Documentation update
+- [ ] Refactoring
+
+## Testing
+Describe how you tested the changes
+
+## Breaking Changes
+List any breaking changes (if applicable)
+
+## Checklist
+- [ ] Code follows style guidelines
+- [ ] Self-review completed
+- [ ] Documentation updated
+- [ ] Tests pass
+```
+
+## Review Process
+
+### What We Look For
+- **Code quality** and maintainability
+- **Performance impact**
+- **User experience** improvements
+- **Documentation completeness**
+- **Test coverage**
+
+### Response Time
+- Initial review: 2-3 business days
+- Follow-up reviews: 1-2 business days
+- Simple fixes: Same day
+
+## Getting Help
+
+### Communication Channels
+- **GitHub Issues**: Bug reports and feature requests
+- **GitHub Discussions**: Questions and general discussion
+- **Pull Request Comments**: Code-specific discussions
+
+### Response Guidelines
+- Be **respectful** and constructive
+- **Ask questions** if requirements are unclear
+- **Provide context** for your suggestions
+
+## Recognition
+
+Contributors are recognized in:
+- **README.md** contributors section
+- **Release notes** for significant contributions
+- **GitHub repository** contributor graphs
+
+Thank you for helping make Marksman.nvim better! 🚀