Code Structure

[khalifarsm]

What is the best way to organize a project’s repository so that contributors can easily understand and navigate the codebase?

[Mahmoud9876]

The way you organize a project’s repository can make or break collaboration, especially for open-source or multi-developer projects. The best practices balance clarity, convention, and scalability. Here’s a solid approach:

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📂 1. Clear and Standard Root Structure

At the top level, keep things minimal and predictable:

project-name/
│── src/             # Main source code
│── tests/           # Unit and integration tests
│── docs/            # Documentation
│── scripts/         # Utility scripts (build, deploy, etc.)
│── .gitignore
│── README.md        # Project overview & usage guide
│── CONTRIBUTING.md  # Guidelines for contributors
│── LICENSE
│── package.json / pyproject.toml / composer.json / etc.

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📘 2. A Well-Written README.md

• Project description (what & why)
• Installation guide
• Usage examples
• Contribution instructions
• Links to docs/issues/discussions

This is often the first entry point for contributors.

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🛠️ 3. Dedicated Contribution & Code Guidelines

• CONTRIBUTING.md: branching strategy, coding style, commit conventions.
• CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md: behavioral guidelines.
• Linters & formatters (.eslintrc, .pylintrc, prettier.config.js) to enforce style automatically.

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🧩 4. Logical Code Structure Inside src/

Organize by domain / feature rather than type:

src/
│── users/
│   ├── models.py
│   ├── services.py
│   ├── routes.py
│── payments/
│   ├── models.py
│   ├── services.py
│   ├── routes.py
│── common/
│   ├── utils.py
│   ├── config.py

This makes scaling and onboarding much easier.

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🧪 5. Parallel Testing Structure

Keep test files close to or mirroring the source:

tests/
│── users/
│   ├── test_routes.py
│── payments/
│   ├── test_services.py

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📄 6. Documentation

• docs/ folder or /wiki for detailed guides.
• Autogenerated API docs if applicable.
• Architecture overview diagram is a huge plus.

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⚡ 7. Automation

• Use CI/CD (.github/workflows/, gitlab-ci.yml, etc.) for tests and lint checks.
• Pre-commit hooks to catch issues early.

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🚀 Golden Rules

• Keep root clean: only essential files.
• Name things consistently: lowercase, hyphens/underscores.
• Favor convention over invention: follow community standards for your language/framework.
• Document decisions: use ADR (Architecture Decision Records) for clarity.

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👉 In short:
Organize by feature, document everything, enforce conventions with automation, and keep the root minimal and predictable.