chore: update validation processes in documentation and scripts (#9)

- Replace `npm run build` with `npm run validate-plugins` in CONTRIBUTING.md and README.md to streamline plugin validation steps.
- Clarify that CI will automatically handle registry building and validation upon PR submission.
- Update various scripts and workflows to reflect the new validation commands and improve clarity for contributors.

Signed-off-by: bthos <el.mogul@outlook.es>
Co-authored-by: bthos <el.mogul@outlook.es>

Author: bthos

.github/workflows/validate-manifest.yml

@@ -39,5 +39,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check for duplicates
         run: npm run check-duplicates
 
-      - name: Build and validate registry
+      - name: Build registry
+        run: npm run build
+
+      - name: Validate registry
         run: npm run validate

.github/workflows/validate-registry.yml

@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           npm run validate-plugins
 
-      - name: Build and validate registry
+      - name: Build registry
+        run: |
+          npm run build
+
+      - name: Validate registry
         run: |
           npm run validate
 

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -150,7 +150,9 @@ Before submitting, validate your entry:
 5. **Verify author is present**: The `author` field is required and cannot be empty
 6. **Verify repository URL**: Ensure the GitHub repository exists and is accessible
 7. **Check for duplicates**: Ensure no other plugin has the same `{author}/{id}` combination
-8. **Build and validate**: Run `npm run build && npm run validate` to ensure everything works
+8. **Validate your plugin**: Run `npm run validate-plugins` to check your plugin.json file
+   - CI will automatically build the registry and validate it when you submit a PR
+   - You can optionally run `npm run validate-all` for a full local check (includes building registry), but it's not required
 
 ### Step 5: Install Git Hooks (Optional but Recommended)
 
@@ -167,15 +169,18 @@ This will:
 
 ### Step 6: Submit Pull Request
 
-1. **Validate your changes:**
+1. **Validate your plugin:**
    ```bash
-   npm run validate-all
+   npm run validate-plugins
    ```
 
-   This will:
-   - Validate individual plugin files
+   This checks your plugin.json file. CI will automatically:
+   - Validate schema files
+   - Validate all plugin files
    - Build the registry from plugins
-   - Validate the registry against the schema
+   - Validate the built registry against the schema
+   
+   **Optional**: Run `npm run validate-all` for a full local check (builds and validates registry locally), but CI does this automatically.
 
 2. **Commit your changes** (with DCO sign-off):
    ```bash
@@ -214,7 +219,7 @@ To update your plugin entry:
 1. For **metadata changes** (description, tags, etc.): edit `plugin.json` in the version directory (e.g. `plugins/d/developer-name/example-plugin/1.0.0/plugin.json`).
 2. For a **new version**: create a new version directory (e.g. `plugins/d/developer-name/example-plugin/1.1.0/`) and add a new `plugin.json` there.
 3. Do not change the `author` field or move the plugin to a different author path without coordination.
-4. Run `npm run validate-all`, then commit and submit a pull request. Do **not** commit `registry.json` (CI regenerates it).
+4. Run `npm run validate-plugins` to check your plugin.json, then commit and submit a pull request. Do **not** commit `registry.json` (CI regenerates it automatically).
 
 ## Plugin Verification
 

README.md

@@ -91,7 +91,12 @@ Each plugin's `plugin.json` follows the schema defined in `schemas/manifest.sche
    npm run create-plugin
    ```
    This will guide you through all required fields and create the correct structure automatically.
-4. **Commit and create a Pull Request** (see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details)
+4. **Validate your plugin**:
+   ```bash
+   npm run validate-plugins
+   ```
+5. **Commit and create a Pull Request** (see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details)
+   - CI will automatically build and validate the registry when you submit a PR
 
 ### Manual Process
 
@@ -107,7 +112,8 @@ To add your plugin manually:
    - `id` matches the plugin directory name (e.g. `jira-integration`)
    - `author` matches the author directory when normalized (e.g. "John Doe" → "john-doe")
    - `latest_version` or directory name is semver (e.g. `1.0.0`)
-7. **Run `npm run validate-all`** then submit a pull request
+7. **Validate your plugin**: Run `npm run validate-plugins` to check your plugin.json
+8. **Submit a pull request** (CI will automatically build and validate the registry)
 
 **Example**: Plugin "jira-integration" by "John Doe", version 1.0.0:
 - Path: `plugins/j/john-doe/jira-integration/1.0.0/plugin.json`
@@ -193,6 +199,8 @@ The Time Tracker application discovers plugins through:
 
 ## Local Development
 
+**Note**: This section covers commands for repository maintainers. Plugin contributors only need `npm run validate-plugins` to check their plugin.json - CI handles the rest automatically.
+
 ### Setup
 
 ```bash
@@ -211,15 +219,21 @@ This will guide you through all required fields and create the correct directory
 
 ### Building the Registry
 
+**Note**: Plugin contributors don't need to build the registry - CI does this automatically. The commands below are for repository maintainers.
+
 Build `registry.json` from individual plugin files:
 
 ```bash
 npm run build
 ```
 
+**Note**: The `build` script generates/updates `registry.json`. Use `npm run validate` to check an existing `registry.json` without modifying it.
+
 ### Validation
 
-Validate schema files (manifest + registry) against JSON Schema draft 2020-12:
+**For plugin contributors**: Run `npm run validate-plugins` to check your plugin.json file. CI will handle building and validating the registry automatically.
+
+**For repository maintainers**: Full validation commands:
 
 ```bash
 npm run validate-schemas
@@ -231,18 +245,20 @@ Validate individual plugin files:
 npm run validate-plugins
 ```
 
-Validate the aggregated registry (builds registry first):
+Validate the aggregated registry (requires registry.json to exist - run `npm run build` first):
 
 ```bash
 npm run validate
 ```
 
-Validate everything (plugins + registry):
+Validate everything (schemas, plugins, build registry, and validate registry):
 
 ```bash
 npm run validate-all
 ```
 
+This runs: `validate-schemas` → `validate-plugins` → `build` → `validate`
+
 Check for duplicate plugin IDs:
 
 ```bash

package.json

@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@
   "main": "registry.json",
   "scripts": {
     "build": "node scripts/build-registry.js",
-    "validate": "npm run build && node scripts/validate.js",
+    "validate": "node scripts/validate.js",
     "validate-plugins": "node scripts/validate-plugins.js",
     "validate-schemas": "node scripts/validate-schemas.js",
-    "validate-all": "npm run validate-schemas && npm run validate-plugins && npm run validate",
+    "validate-all": "npm run validate-schemas && npm run validate-plugins && npm run build && npm run validate",
     "format": "node scripts/format.js",
     "check-duplicates": "node scripts/check-duplicates.js",
     "create-plugin": "node scripts/create-plugin.js",

plugins/README.md

@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ plugins/
 1. Normalize your author name and determine the first letter.
 2. Create `plugins/{letter}/{normalized-author}/{plugin-id}/{version}/`.
 3. Add `plugin.json` with `id`, `author`, `latest_version` (matching the version directory), and other required fields.
-4. Run `npm run validate-all` from the repository root.
+4. Validate your plugin: Run `npm run validate-plugins` from the repository root.
+   - CI will automatically build and validate the registry when you submit a PR
 
 ## Example
 

scripts/create-plugin.js

@@ -203,10 +203,10 @@ async function createPlugin() {
     console.log(`\n📁 Location: plugins/${firstLetter}/${normalizedAuthor}/${pluginId}/${latestVersion}/plugin.json`);
     console.log('\n📝 Next steps:');
     console.log('  1. Review the created plugin.json file');
-    console.log('  2. Run: npm run validate-all');
-    console.log('  3. Run: npm run build');
-    console.log('  4. Commit and create a Pull Request');
+    console.log('  2. Run: npm run validate-plugins');
+    console.log('  3. Commit and create a Pull Request');
     console.log('\n💡 Tip: You can add icon.png, screenshot.png, or README.md to the plugin directory.');
+    console.log('   Note: CI will automatically build and validate the registry when you submit a PR.');
 
     rl.close();
   } catch (error) {