add contributing rules

Author: james-pplx

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -1,9 +1,70 @@
-# Contributing
+# Contribution Guidelines for API Cookbook Repository
 
-When contributing to this repository, please first discuss the change you wish to make via issue,
-email, or any other method with the owners of this repository before making a change. 
+Thank you for your interest in contributing to our API Cookbook repository! We're looking for high-quality, impactful projects that showcase the capabilities of our API and provide genuine value to developers.
 
-Please note we have a code of conduct, please follow it in all your interactions with the project.
+## Project Quality Standards
+
+We prioritize quality over quantity in all contributions. Here's what we look for:
+
+### Technical Requirements
+
+- **Functional Completeness**: Your project should be fully functional, free of bugs, and include proper error handling.
+- **Code Quality**: Code should be clean, well-formatted, well-documented, and follow standard best practices for the language/framework used.
+- **Documentation**: Include comprehensive README with:
+  - Clear description of what the project does
+  - Installation/setup instructions
+  - Usage examples
+  - Explanation of how the API is leveraged
+  - Any limitations or considerations
+- **Maintainability**: Code should be structured to be easily maintained and extended.
+
+### Impact Criteria
+
+We're especially interested in projects that demonstrate one or more of the following:
+
+1. **Solves Real Problems**: Addresses actual use cases that developers might encounter
+2. **Educational Value**: Teaches important concepts about API usage or implementation patterns
+3. **Novel Applications**: Shows innovative or unexpected ways to leverage the API
+4. **Vertical-Specific Solutions**: Demonstrates the API's utility in specific industries or domains
+5. **Integration Examples**: Shows how to effectively combine our API with other tools or services
+
+## Submission Process
+
+1. **Fork the Repository**: Create your own fork of the cookbook repository
+2. **Create a New Directory**: Name it descriptively after your project
+3. **Implement Your Project**: Follow the quality guidelines above
+4. **Test Thoroughly**: Ensure everything works as expected
+5. **Update the README**: Add your project to the README for visibility. 
+5. **Submit a Pull Request**: Include a detailed description of your project and what makes it valuable
+
+## Review Criteria
+
+When reviewing submissions, we evaluate based on:
+
+- **Functionality**: Does it work as described?
+- **Code Quality**: Is the implementation well-crafted?
+- **Originality**: Does it add something new to the cookbook?
+- **Usefulness**: Would other developers find this helpful?
+- **Documentation**: Is it well-explained and easy to follow?
+
+## Examples of High-Impact Projects
+
+- A specialized search application focused on a particular domain (e.g., legal research, academic papers)
+- A browser extension that enhances productivity or learning
+- An automated workflow tool that solves a specific business problem
+- An integration with popular platforms or productivity tools
+- An innovative data visualization of API results
+- A tool addressing a specific industry challenge
+
+## What to Avoid
+
+- Projects with minimal functionality beyond basic API calls
+- Poorly documented implementations
+- Projects that essentially duplicate existing cookbook examples
+- Code with security issues or significant bugs
+- Projects focused on prohibited use cases
+
+Thank you for helping us build a valuable resource for our developer community! We look forward to seeing your innovative applications of our API.
 
 ## Pull Request Process
 

README.md

@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 
 A collection of practical applications and tools built with [Perplexity's Sonar API](https://sonar.perplexity.ai/), the fastest, most cost-effective AI answer engine with robust search capabilities.
 
+## Contributing
+
+Contributions to this repository are welcome! Whether you want to:
+
+- Fix bugs in existing projects
+- Add new features to current tools
+- Contribute entirely new Sonar API projects
+- Improve documentation or examples
+
+Please check the [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) file for guidelines.
+
 ## ⚠️ API Key Required
 
 **Before you begin:** You'll need a Perplexity API key to use any project in this repository. 
@@ -56,17 +67,6 @@ The API offers:
 - Straightforward documentation
 - Transparent usage-based pricing
 
-## Contributing
-
-Contributions to this repository are welcome! Whether you want to:
-
-- Fix bugs in existing projects
-- Add new features to current tools
-- Contribute entirely new Sonar API projects
-- Improve documentation or examples
-
-Please check the [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) file for guidelines.
-
 ## License
 
 Unless otherwise specified, all projects in this repository are licensed under the MIT License. See the [LICENSE](./LICENSE) file for details.