# Contributing

> How to contribute to Resume Matcher: fork the repo, run the backend and frontend locally, work on a branch and open a pull request.
- **Section**: Community
- **URL**: https://resumematcher.fyi/docs/contributing/

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## Get Involved

Resume Matcher is open source. We build features, fix bugs, and improve docs together.

### Quick Start

1. Fork the [repo](https://github.com/srbhr/Resume-Matcher)
2. Clone your fork, then follow [Installation](/docs/installation/) to start the backend in `apps/backend` and the frontend in `apps/frontend`
3. Create a branch: `git checkout -b fix/your-thing`
4. Make changes, commit, push, open a PR

### What We Need

**Code contributions:**

- Bug fixes
- New features
- Performance improvements
- Tests

**Non-code contributions:**

- Documentation improvements
- UI translations
- Bug reports with reproduction steps
- Feature ideas
- Helping others on Discord

### Commit Style

Keep commits concise. Use sentence-style subjects:

```bash
Add keyword highlighting to JD match view
Fix PDF margin calculation on US Letter
Update Docker setup instructions
```

### Before Submitting

- Run `npm run lint` in `apps/frontend`, and `uv run ruff check` and `uv run ruff format` in `apps/backend`
- To run the same checks (tests, ruff, locale parity) before every push, enable the hook once with `git config core.hooksPath .githooks`
- Test your changes locally
- Update docs if you changed behavior
- Write a clear PR description

### Using AI Coding Tools?

If you're using Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or similar AI tools, point them at [`docs/agent/README.md`](https://github.com/srbhr/Resume-Matcher/blob/main/docs/agent/README.md). It explains the repo structure, conventions, and patterns the AI should follow.

### Good First Issues

New here? Look for issues labeled `good first issue` or `help wanted` on [GitHub](https://github.com/srbhr/Resume-Matcher/issues).

### Get Help

- [Discord](https://dsc.gg/resume-matcher)
- [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/srbhr/Resume-Matcher/discussions)

All contributors are listed on [resumematcher.fyi/about](/about/). Thanks for helping job seekers land interviews.