# Contributing

Thank you for your interest in improving htop-web.

## Before making changes

1. Review the README and relevant documentation.
2. Check the existing implementation before introducing new dependencies or changing behavior.
3. Keep changes focused on a clear issue or improvement.

## Development workflow

1. Create a branch for your change.
2. Implement and test the change.
3. Run the backend Gradle build from `backend/`:

   ```bash
   ./gradlew clean build
   ```

4. Review the Git diff and ensure generated files, credentials, and local configuration are not included.
5. Update documentation when necessary.
6. Submit your changes with a clear description of the problem and solution.

## Code quality

- Follow the conventions already used in the relevant module.
- Avoid unrelated refactoring.
- Do not claim support for monitoring capabilities that have not been tested in the target environment.
- Never commit passwords, tokens, private keys, or production secrets.

## Reporting issues

Include the steps to reproduce the issue, expected behavior, actual behavior, relevant logs, and environment details. Remove sensitive information from logs before sharing them.