Contributing to Life Framework

Welcome. Join the community, choose a piece of work, build it with the team, then raise a pull request. You can contribute code, playtest reports, world building, UI, 3D art, sound, or documentation.

1. Join the Discord

Join the Life Framework Discord. Say hello in #general, ask questions, and tell us what you would like to work on. The team can help match your interests to an issue.

2. Pick an issue

Start with a good first issue or an open branch on the Tree of Life, the roadmap map of every issue. Each open issue also has a discussion thread in the #roadmap forum on Discord. Issues are the source of truth for the files, boundaries, and proof expected.

Comment /claim on the issue to take it; a bot adds you as an assignee. Others can /claim the same issue to join you (up to ten), and /unclaim steps you back. The website and Discord update from the assignee list. Then coordinate with the team on Discord.

3. Build and playtest

Read AGENTS.md, the setup guide, and the playtest guide. The guides cover the toolchain, local paths, and how to open the M1 town.

Keep code changes in a worktree, not main:

tools\cli wt new <short-name>
cd ..\Life-Framework-ws-<short-name>
tools\cli status
tools\cli validate

Follow the issue's proof requirements. For script behavior, write a regression test and prove it fails before the fix. Run the focused test while iterating, then verify the player path in DebugWorld or the playtest town when the issue touches in-game behavior.

To open the local M1 playtest, check whether it is already running, then launch it if needed:

tools\cli playtest status
tools\cli playtest

Stop it with tools\cli playtest stop when you are done. Do not change or commit machine-specific paths or generated files.

4. Raise a pull request

Use tools\cli wt ship <short-name> --closes <issue-number> when the worktree is ready. It runs the project's checks and opens a pull request. In the PR, describe the change, list the test and in-game proof, and name anything that still needs a manual check.

The team reviews the PR with you, helps resolve feedback, and merges it when it is ready. Stay in the conversation until the checks are green and it lands.

5. Grow into an approver

We want contributors to take on review responsibility quickly. After a few solid PRs have landed and the team has seen your reviews, maintainers can grant approval and merge access. Trusted approvers review other contributors' work and help good changes ship without a long wait. Your own PR still gets an independent review.

Working with coding agents

Coding agents are welcome. Start at the repository root and ask the agent to read AGENTS.md, CONTRIBUTING.md, docs/setup.md, and docs/playtest.md. The contribution page has a ready-to-paste prompt that checks local setup and opens the playtest before you choose an issue.

Agents must follow the issue scope, research Enfusion APIs before using them, work in a named worktree, verify their changes, and leave the PR ready for team review. The human contributor remains responsible for the result.

More ways to help

• Play a session and send a clear report through the Discord #feedback forum.
• Help with mapping, world building, UI, 3D models, sound, testing, or docs.
• Share an idea or ask for a first issue on Discord.

All contributions follow the Code of Conduct. Source code contributions are licensed under the repository's MIT licence.