new contributor guidelines

1 files changed, 47 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6eeafcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Contributing Guidelines
+
+Contributions welcome!
+
+**Before spending lots of time on something, ask for feedback on your idea first!**
+
+Please search issues and pull requests before adding something new to avoid duplicating efforts and conversations.
+
+This project welcomes non-code contributions, too! The following types of contributions are welcome:
+
+- **Ideas**: participate in an issue thread or start your own to have your voice heard.
+- **Writing**: contribute your expertise in an area by helping expand the included content.
+- **Copy editing**: fix typos, clarify language, and generally improve the quality of the content.
+- **Formatting**: help keep content easy to read with consistent formatting.
+
+## Code Style
+
+[![standard][standard-image]][standard-url]
+
+This repository uses [`standard`][standard-url] to maintain code style and consistency, and to avoid style arguments. `npm test` runs `standard` automatically, so you don't have to!
+
+[standard-image]: https://cdn.rawgit.com/feross/standard/master/badge.svg
+[standard-url]: https://github.com/feross/standard
+
+# Project Governance
+
+**This is an [OPEN Open Source Project](http://openopensource.org/).**
+
+Individuals making significant and valuable contributions are given commit-access to the project to contribute as they see fit. This project is more like an open wiki than a standard guarded open source project.
+
+## Rules
+
+There are a few basic ground-rules for contributors:
+
+1. **No `--force` pushes** or modifying the Git history in any way.
+1. **Non-master branches** ought to be used for ongoing work.
+1. **External API changes and significant modifications** ought to be subject to an **internal pull-request** to solicit feedback from other contributors.
+1. Internal pull-requests to solicit feedback are *encouraged* for any other non-trivial contribution but left to the discretion of the contributor.
+1. Contributors should attempt to adhere to the prevailing code style.
+
+## Releases
+
+Declaring formal releases remains the prerogative of the project maintainer.
+
+## Changes to this arrangement
+
+This is an experiment and feedback is welcome! This document may also be subject to pull-requests or changes by contributors where you believe you have something valuable to add or change.